The Philippine entertainment world continues to be abuzz as Jake Zyrus’ mother, Raquel Pempengco, officially speaks out to deny the allegations her son made about an uncle in the family. The story became even more tense when Xian Gaza suddenly made a controversial statement that caused public discussion.

Recently, Jake Zyrus spoke out to accuse an uncle in the family of inappropriate behavior towards him when he was a child. However, his mother, Raquel Pempengco, quickly responded and completely denied this.

Raquel Pempengco asserted that her son was making up the story to attract attention. She questioned why Jake did not speak up before but chose this time to go public. She also emphasized that the family never hurt Jake as he described.

According to Raquel, if her son really has concrete evidence, he should present it instead of just relying on one-sided stories. She also accused Jake of deliberately creating a tragic story to make public opinion side with him.

Before the story had settled down, Xian Gaza, a character who often makes shocking statements on social media, suddenly spoke up. He wrote on Facebook a status full of ambiguity that the truth does not lie in words but in what people intentionally hide.

This statement immediately caused a stir in public opinion because it was unclear whose side Xian was on. Some opinions said that he was implying that Jake Zyrus’ mother was hiding something while others said that Xian was just taking advantage of the incident to attract attention.

The appearance of Xian Gaza made this drama even more confusing because his statements were always controversial. Some netizens also criticized Xian, saying that he was deliberately adding fuel to the fire instead of letting the family resolve the internal matter.

Immediately after Raquel Pempengco spoke out, netizens were divided into two factions. One side supported Jake Zyrus, saying that he was brave enough to speak up about his past trauma. The other side sided with Raquel, saying that she was just defending the family’s honor against baseless accusations.

Some people focused on Xian Gaza’s appearance, questioning whether he really knew something that others didn’t know or was simply looking for attention as usual.

This drama certainly won’t end anytime soon. Will Jake Zyrus continue to refute his mother’s denials or will Raquel Pempengco provide more evidence to defend her family? Xian Gaza’s involvement also makes the story more unpredictable. In the coming time, public opinion may witness many new surprising developments from this incident.

Jake Zyrus’ mom Raquel Pempengco hopes for reconciliation: ‘I’m just here… I’m still his mother’
In a guesting over showbiz reporter Morly Alinio’s vlog uploaded on YouTube on Nov. 5, Raquel Pempengco said she’s looking forward to reconciling with Zyrus, whom she still occasionally refers to by his old name, Charice.

“I’m just here because your feelings won’t ease until your parents are your enemy,” Pempengco said, adding that Zyrus may not have peace of mind if he’s still harboring resentment as she supposedly suffers.

Pempengco also recalled the day that Zyrus was reportedly seen drunk and aggressive while in the United States amid his supposed career setbacks. She said she immediately reached out to Zyrus’s friend to check up on him.

Amid reports that Zyrus is seen having a drinking spree in public, Pempengco said she has no idea and would only believe it if the news came from his friends.

“Let’s just wait for him to say it. It’s his right to be free,” she said.

Pempengco said she doesn’t mind if Zyrus no longer gives her (financial) support, but she’s at least hoping for him to talk to her.

“Maybe if he just reaches out, ‘Mi, are you okay there? ‘Don’t worry, we’re okay here, I’m okay here. I just want to be free and away from showbiz,’ that’s what I want to happen,” she said.

Amid his reported mental health struggles, Pempengco is hoping that Zyrus has a support system in his friends, though expressed frustration that she seems powerless about his situation.

“I hope they talk heart to heart,” she said.

When asked whether it’s Charice or Jake who’s the spirit of her Christmas, Pempengco said they’re just one, and she loves them equally.

“I loved Charice before, I loved Jake more now,” she said, adding she has accepted him wholeheartedly. Zyrus previously told the media that his mother doesn’t accept his being a transgender man and his relationships with womenShe also regrets not communicating with Zyrus much, especially since he’s having mental health struggles even before his transition.

Ultimately, Pempengco said she’ll still be waiting for her child.

“He’ll know that I’m here,” she said, “and he’ll think that I’m still his mother.”

“For me, I didn’t do anything wrong. Charice, if you had changed, I hope you wouldn’t have changed your attitude towards our family,” she added while in tears.

Zyrus, in his 2018 book I Am Jake, called Pempengco an “evil queen” and an “abusive mother” as he recalled alleged physical and emotional abuse he underwent ever since he was a kid.

Zyrus also previously claimed his mother made fake accounts to send hate messages when he came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Pempengco expressed her disapproval of the claims.