A video of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Ricky Lee has recently gone viral on social media, with netizens calling out the action of one of the beauty queen's bodyguards.
The incident, which happened during the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) at the SMX Convention Center last September 14, showed Pia walking with her bodyguards when she stopped to greet and shake hands with Lee. However, one of her security personnel ignored the national artist and separated them.
The video quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter), earning different remarks from netizens.
Hinawi ng bodyguard ni miss @PiaWurtzbach si Sir Ricky Lee huhubells! 😭😭😭 pero as we know ginagawa lang ng bodyguard yung work niya. #MIBF
— @pauloinmanila and 99 others (@pauloMDtweets) September 18, 2023
Pero love that small conversation ni Queen P at Sir Ricky "Thank you for the book" kahit maraming tao narecognize ni Pia si Sir Ricky. pic.twitter.com/ul1t3wQFi6
On Wednesday, through his program segment, Boy Abunda said that Pia, who was in MIBF to launch her debut novel, already contacted Lee.
"Nag-reach out na si Pia, even if it was not Pia's fault, to apologize, to say sorry na nangyari ito," The King of Talk said.
"Naayos na ito pero leksyon po sa atin, dahil importante na tinatrato natin [ng maayos] ang number one, seniors. Number two, this was a book fair, this was a cultural event," he continued.
The national artist himself, likewise, broke his silence over the viral incident.
In an interview with PEP.ph, Ricky said the guard was a bit rude and could have been more gracious in his treatment of anyone in that situation.
"Hindi kinakailangan na senior or hindi kinakailangang National Artist. Pero kung may taong nilapitan din ni Pia, kinamayan pa ni Pia, respetuhin niya [guard] 'yung tao at si Pia, kasi kilala ni Pia," he said.
Ricky Lee, who was named National Artist of the Philippines for Film and Broadcasting Arts in 2022, was the author behind the books "Para Kay B," "Si Amapola sa 65 na Kabanata," and others.
Meanwhile, Pia recently launched her first book titled "Queen of the Universe: A Novel: Love, Truth, Beauty."
