MANILA -- After avoiding asking her mother about her fathers’ whereabouts for years, celebrity housemate Anji Salvacion finally faced her mom, albeit virtually, to talk about her “missing dad” in a tearful conversation that caught viewers by surprise.

Brokered by Big Brother, Salvacion had the chance to personally ask her mom, Melisa, if rumors were true that her father left them for a new family. Salvacion previously opened up about her father going missing when she was 8 years old.

Melisa was quick to debunk it, asking her daughter if she would choose to believe other people over her. But the sobbing young actress fired another question: “Bakit 'di siya bumalik?”

This was where Anji’s mother told the housemate that her father will not be returning anymore because she felt he was dead already.

“Paano siya babalik kung wala na siya? Kung buhay pa ang daddy mo, imposible na hindi siya babalik,” Melisa told her daughter in Bisaya.

Melisa went on to remind Anji how her father loved her so much when he was still with them.

“I hope you know deep inside your heart that your dad loves you so much. You are his sunshine, Ate,” said Melisa, who was also sobbing.

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Before their talk, Anji’s mother already told “Kuya” about her last conversation with her husband.

It was in 2010 when both of them decided to return to the Philippines from the US. Eventually, her husband decided to work in Guam for several months to save up money before bringing the entire family to the US for good.

On the day he went missing, Melisa said she was talking to him over the phone when suddenly he stopped replying.

“That time, kinakabahan ako. Mine-message ko siya, hindi na nagre-reply. Until I felt numb na, 'yung buong katawan ko. Hindi na ko mapakali,” she recalled.

After being frantic for several hours, she decided to call his father-in-law to ask what happened. But three months after reporting it, authorities in Guam tagged her husband as a missing person.

“Nung time na 'yun I was so depressed. Ayoko magpakita sa mga bata. Ayoko lumabas ng kwarto. I don't know what to think... I do believe in my whole heart na wala na siya. Kasi kung buhay siya hahanapin niya kami,” Melisa said.

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Anji’s mom said it took her seven years to finally accept what happened to her husband but she also evaded the topic, especially from her children.

“Ayokong masaktan sila. Kung pwede lang ako na lang lahat para 'di na sila masaktan. Kung pwede lang itago pero 'di mo pwede itago,” she explained.

“PBB” airs new episodes daily via Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z Channel 11, iWantTFC, and TFC, with 24/7 livestreaming via Kumu.