Glee Star Charice's Father Stabbed to Death in the Philippines

Singer-actress's estranged dad involved in random altercation that ended in his own death

By Marianne Garvey Nov 01, 2011 1:59 PMTags
ChariceGary Gershoff/Getty Images

Glee star Charice Pempengco has suffered an horrific family tragedy: her estranged father has been stabbed to death in her hometown in the Philippines.

The actress, who plays Sunshine Corazon on the hit musical show and is an Oprah Winfrey favorite, pulled out of a concert she had scheduled in Singapore to travel home to be with family.

Here's what we know happened to her dad:

Charice's father, Ricky Pempengco, 40, was a construction worker who had been shopping Monday at a small grocery store in San Pedro, a township south of Manila, when he accidentally brushed up against another man.

The unidentified other man, who was allegedly drunk, became enraged and stabbed Pempengco with an ice pick in the chest and back, according to the Laguna province police chief, Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz.

After learning of the tragedy, Charice apologized to her fans for having to skip her shows Wednesday and Thursday.

"I am not going to be there to be part of David Foster and Friends concert, I have to go back to the Philippines as soon as possible to be with my family," she wrote on her Twitter page Tuesday.

A manhunt has been launched for the suspect, with a $470 award for information leading to his arrest. According to police, the stabbing was random and there was no indication the suspect even knew Pempengco.

Charice, 19, and her father have long been estranged—her mother left him when she was a young girl, although she doesn't hold a grudge.

"I loved him and will still love him. He's still my dad after all," she wrote on Twitter.

Our thoughts go out to Charice and her family during this tough time.