Charice appeals for justice; P200,000 reward set for suspect's arrest

MANILA, Philippines - International singer Charice appealed yesterday for justice for her father, who was stabbed to death Monday night in Barangay Laram, San Pedro, Laguna.

Laguna Gov. Jeorge Ejercito Estregan said he is offering P100,000 reward and San Pedro Mayor Calixto Cataquiz also pledged P100,000 for the arrest of Ricky Pempengco’s assailant Angel Capili Jr., a construction worker.

Charice flew back to the Philippines and paid respects to her father early yesterday and apologized for canceling the rest of her tour dates. She had been scheduled to perform in Singapore.

“My family comes first. Whoever did this must be brought to justice. Justice must be served, not just for my father but for everyone concerned,” she told reporters.

Witnesses said the suspect was intoxicated when he got mad after the 40-year-old Pempengco, a fellow construction worker, brushed against him.

Pempengco was buying cigarettes from a store late Monday when he was stabbed with an ice pick in the chest and back. The suspect fled the following morning after talking to his mother about the killing, police said, adding they had at least two witnesses.

Estregan said Capili and Pempengco had an old grudge and were both drunk when they met on the street.

Charice had been estranged from her father but said they had a great relationship, even though they had not had time to bond.

“I loved him and I will still love him,” she said. “He’s still my dad after all.”

The 19-year-old singer, born Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco, is known throughout Asia from concerts and TV talent shows in the Philippines and South Korea. She plays a recurring role on “Glee” as exchange student Sunshine Corazon.

In an interview in 2010, Charice talked about the possibility of reconnecting with her father:

“When he left us, I was three years old, and it’s been 15 years now and I haven’t seen or heard from him, but still, I want to thank him because he’s my dad, and I want to thank him for everything that he did, even if it’s just a short time. But all the credit I want to give to my mom because she stayed for us for however many years,” she said.

Superintendent John Kirby Kraft, San Pedro, Laguna police chief, said murder charges are being readied against Capili and the police have uploaded the suspect’s photo on its official Facebook account of “Laguna’s Most Wanted.”

“We are just waiting for the death certificate of the victim before we could submit the case to the prosecutor’s office. We believe the case was murder since Ricky Pempengco and Capili had an incident at around 8:30 p.m.,” Kraft said.

Kraft noted that Capili even reported to the barangay hall his encounter with the victim and based on the information, three hours had passed from the time the suspect and the victim had an argument up to the time of the attack.

He said they would refer the matter to the prosecutor’s office, which will evaluate and decide on whether the murder case will be downgraded to homicide. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, AP