Charice breaks silence about suicide try

Charice Pempengco. File photo

MANILA -- Singer Charice Pempengco on Tuesday denied her maternal grandmother's allegation that she recently attempted to kill herself over supposed financial trouble.

In a statement given to ABS-CBN News through her manager Glenn Aldueza, the 21-year-old "Pyramid" hitmaker said there is no truth to her grandmother Teresita Relucio's accusation that she slashed her wrists over her alleged bankruptcy.

"Nitong mga nakaraang araw, pinilit kong manahimik kaysa sagutin ang tanong ng ilan kung totoo nga bang nag-tangka ako ng suicide dahil wala na akong pera. Ngayon, pabubulaanan ko ang mga bintang," Pempengco said.

"Mahal ko po ang buhay ko, lalo pa nga't malaya ko nang naipapahayag ang totoong ako. At mayroon pa rin po akong naitatagong pera," she said.

Pempengco was referring to her decision to go public with her sexual preference in June, which she has since credited in interviews for being happy. She is also openly in a relationship with Alyssa Quijano, a former rival in singing competitions with whom she now shares a home.

On the subject of her alleged financial woes and her estrangement from her family, Pempengco added: "Patuloy pa rin po akong nag-tatrabaho dahil mahal ko ang pamilya ko. Maaring hindi maayos ang sitwasyon namin ngayon, pero umaasa po akong magiging okay kami sa nalalapit na panahon."

The former "Glee" star has been estranged from her mother, Raquel, and her younger brother, Carl, since she confirmed in an interview on "The Buzz" that she is a lesbian.

Raquel, in one of the press conferences she called early this year, asserted that she has long accepted her daughter's sexuality.

She emphasized that she was only against Pempengco's move to publicize her sexual orientation, saying it could negatively impact her career.

Another reason for the estrangement, Raquel added, was Pempengco's decision to continue her relationship with Quijano despite her objections.

"Magihintay po ako ng kapatawaran ng Mommy kahit kailan," the singer said in her statement on Tuesday. "Bagama't hindi kami nagkikibuan ng Mommy ko ngayon, patuloy pa rin po akong nag-iipon dahil kaligayahan ko na po ang paligayahin ang Mommy at ang kapatid kong si Carl."

"Salamat po sa pang-unawa at suporta ninyo."

The mention of Pempengco's alleged suicide attempt came up last week, in Relucio's televised interview with host Cristy Fermin on the TV5 program "Showbiz Police."

"Totoo po bang naglaslas siya ng pulso kamakailan lang?" Fermin asked.

"'Yun ang sinabi nila sa akin. Hindi kaya tanggapin ni Charice 'yung wala na siyang pera," Relucio claimed. "Wala siyang pag-aari."

In the same interview, Relucio also addressed her daughter, saying, "Kinatatakutan ko lang, Raquel, pag ikaw ang nawalan ng anak. Baka magsabi-sabi ka. Ayusin mo."