Many viewers were moved by the dramatization of the life story of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach in last Saturday’s episode of the long-running drama anthology series “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”
At least two people, however, were not happy, with the depiction of Pia’s late father on the show. Robie Asingua, a woman who introduced herself as the live-in partner of Uwe Wurtzbach, the German father of Pia, and her son, Alexander Wurtzbach, both objected to the portrayal of Uwe in the episode.
Asingua was particularly incensed by the scene where Uwe (played by American actor Lee O’ Brien) and his live-in partner asked Pia (played by Liza Soberano) for money for his medication during a telephone conversation from Puerto Princesa, Palawan shortly after she placed first runner-up in 2013 Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant.
This never happened, according to Asingua, who insisted that Pia’s father never asked her for money as the former also called Pia “a big liar” for “making [up] a false story.” In her replies to commenters on her post, Asingua revealed that she is based in Puerto Princesa, which suggests that she was the woman portrayed as Uwe’s mistress in the “MMK” episode.
Asingua also revealed that Uwe, who is also the father of Alexander, died in Palawan in 2013 without ever receiving a single centavo or in her own words, “singkong duling” from Pia.
Alexander was likewise angry at Pia over the depiction of his father in the episode as a womanizer who left Pia and her mother when she was still a child.
“Sa lahat lahat ayaw ko yung sisiraan mo ang patay na. wala ng kinalaman yun eh.Karmahin sana kayo parang walang pinagaralan. Wag mung dadalahin ang apelyedo na yan kung alam mo ganyan ugali ng tatay mo. Kala ko ba babaero sya at wala sya kwenta bakit mahal mo parin sya,” Alexander posted.
“You[‘]r[e] a freeking liar dont use my father’s surname if you don’t like him you’r[e] a millionaire now so change it! Don’t say your money will help you. you are a liar!!!,” he added.
But a source close to Pia that was cited in a report by Pep.ph insists that the phone conversation dramatized in the “MMK” episode really did happen.
The source added that when Uwe was still alive, he requested Pia to shoulder the school expenses of Alexander. But Pia could not provide any financial assistance as she herself was having difficulty making ends meet and was also being helped out by her younger sister, Sarah.
“I’m sure not a lot of people know, but when you are 1st runner-up, wala ka ding pera from winnings ‘coz technically you don’t have a crown…So, Pia said she couldn’t help,” the unidentified source was quoted as saying.
Sarah, who is currently based in the United Kingdom, also took exception to Alexander’s post and commented, “Baka gusto mong kalkalin ko yung mga message nyo ng nanay mo sa amin. Baka mapahiya ka…tigil na kasi, ayan na fame oh! EMBRACE IT!”
Pia herself has not personally addressed the issues.
As posted on her Instagram account, she is currently in New York City with manager/mentor Jonas Gaffud and two fellow beauty queens, Miss World 2013 Megan Young and Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa.
Gaffud, who usually addresses the issues involving Pia like her recent run-in with a Filipino businesswoman during a recent trip to Brunei, has not yet issued a statement on this latest controversy.
