Manila, Philippines – Drama fans are left heartbroken as actor Macoy De Leon officially exits the hit TV series where he played the fan-favorite role of David. But what’s hitting viewers even harder is his unexpected, emotional goodbye to lead actor and director Coco Martin.

😢 A Bittersweet Goodbye

Macoy De Leon took to social media to confirm his departure, writing a heart-wrenching message that has since gone viral:

“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng naging bahagi ng journey ko bilang David. Sa buong team at higit sa lahat, kay Kuya Coco—hindi ko makakalimutan ang tiwala, guidance at pagmamahal. Hanggang sa muli.”

Translation: “Thank you to everyone who was part of my journey as David. To the whole team and most of all, to Kuya Coco—I will never forget your trust, guidance, and love. Until we meet again.”

The message was paired with behind-the-scenes photos, a somber black-and-white video clip, and a few teary-eyed emojis—further tugging at fans’ hearts.

🧩 Why Did Macoy Leave?

This is the question everyone is now asking.

While Macoy remained respectful and didn’t go into detail, online speculation has run wild. Among the most discussed theories:

Creative Differences: Some insiders claim there were disagreements about character direction.

New Opportunities: Others believe Macoy was offered a major lead role in another project.

Personal Reasons: A few suggest his decision is tied to prioritizing family or mental health.

So far, neither Coco Martin nor the production team has made a formal statement explaining the exact reason for Macoy’s exit.

💔 Fans React with Emotion

Social media was immediately flooded with reactions:

“NOOOO!!! David is the heart of the show!”

“I cried more at his goodbye post than some actual episodes.”

“Respect to Macoy for leaving with grace. Hoping to see him again soon!”

Many fans are already petitioning for a possible return of his character in future storylines, or even a spin-off featuring David’s arc.

🤝 Coco Martin Responds?

While Coco hasn’t publicly posted a direct message, fans were quick to notice he “liked” Macoy’s farewell post and even commented with a short but emotional message:

“Walang anuman, kapatid. Saludo ako sa ‘yo. Tuloy lang ang laban 🙏❤️”

Which translates to: “It was nothing, brother. I salute you. Keep moving forward.”

🔚 A Chapter Closes, But a Legacy Remains

As Macoy De Leon closes this chapter of his career, his portrayal of David will no doubt remain one of the most beloved characters in the series. Whether this marks a temporary break or a permanent farewell, one thing is certain:

His exit has left a void—one filled with tears, gratitude, and immense respect.

Stay tuned for updates on Macoy’s next move, and whether the door might open again someday…

McCoy De Leon turned into a demon by Coco Martin
Coco Martin is said to be one of the reasons why McCoy De Leon became a great villain.

McCoy shared in ‘Tatak BQ: The FPJ’s Batang Quiapo Anniversary Special’ that Director Coco told him that he couldn’t smile in his scenes.

“On the first day of ‘Batang Quiapo,’ he just said to me, ‘don’t smile because you’ll see the old McCoy.’ Until now, I haven’t smiled in ‘Batang Quiapo.’ ‘That’s all I can do there,” McCoy chiked.

“It feels good because I discovered that I’m also a villain. I’m more effective when my role is bad,” McCoy added.

In fairness, it can be seen that this style was effective and that he took the character to heart because many viewers were so angry with his character David in every episode.

But it seems that fans are even more excited for David because they are already excited for the much-anticipated face-off between Tanggol (Coco) and David at the start of the show’s third year.

The anniversary trailer gave a sneak peek that Tanggol will finally break David’s pretense. And they are already excited to witness the confrontation between the real and fake Tanggol.

The public is really looking forward to this because the trailer, which can be viewed on ABS-CBN’s official social media pages, has already reached 7 million views.

The only question that the ‘Batang Quiapo’ fans are asking is, will David be able to resist or will he still be able to overcome the battle with Tanggol?