Francis Magalona with his alleged secret lover Abegail Rait. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Boss Toyo Production, Abegail Rait
Abegail Rait, the alleged lover of Francis Magalona, apologized for the hurt her revelation has caused to the Magalona family, although she asserted that the late rapper’s civil status was “single” and that he was already separated from his wife Pia Arroyo-Magalona when their secret relationship started.
Weeks after introducing herself and Gaile Francesca—her alleged love child with Francis—to the public, Rait spoke up to defend themselves amid the hate remarks thrown at them.
“Homewrecker, kabit, mistress—lahat na ng adjective na nagamit niyo, tanggap ko po. Pero ang ipinakikiusap ko sana ay ‘wag naman ‘yung anak ko,” Rait said via her YouTube vlog on Friday, Nov. 3. (Call me a homewrecker, third party, mistress; I can take them all, but please spare my daughter.)
“Aminado po ako, tao lang ako na nagkakamali, nasasaktan, pero imbes na iiyak ko ay ipinapakita ko sa anak ko na kaya ko siyang ipagtanggol. Sana po maintindihan niyo ako bilang ina na nagsasalita para sa kanyang anak,” she continued.
(I admit that I’m only human who commits mistakes and gets hurt, but I strive to show my daughter that I can protect her. I hope you understand me as a mom who is speaking up for her child.)
Rait clarified that even before they were featured on the “Pinoy Pawnstars” series, Francesca had already been firm in wanting to enter the show business “regardless who her father is.”
Rait said that her daughter had already signed a talent management contract and that they only sold Francis’ jersey to support Francesca’s expenses during her training. Rait underscored that she’s not after anything and that she had to do what she did to support her daughter.
“No remorse, and what should I be ashamed of? What I said there is the story behind the jersey and those are facts,” Rait stressed. “I felt Kiko led me to do that.”
“Sa lahat po ng nasaktan, sa pamilya po ni Kiko, humihingi po ako ng dispensa sa lahat ng kaguluhang ito. Hindi ko po ipinagmamalaki ang naging pagkakasala ko pero tao lang po ako; hindi ako perpekto,” she addressed the Magalona family.
(To those whom we have hurt, to Kiko’s family, I apologize for this mess. I am not proud of my mistake, but I am only human. I’m not perfect.)
Rait then claimed that the Magalona family knew about her and Chesca, and that she and her daughter were even present at the wake of the late Master Rapper.
The former flight attendant also seemed to have supported the claims of Francis’ supposed friend Robby Tarroza, as she maintained she didn’t violate any law when she got into a relationship with Francis because his civil status was “single.”
“Kung kabit po ako at nanira ng pamilya—sana may maglakas ng loob na sabihin na wala na sila ni Pia nung dumating ako sa buhay niya,” Rait said. (If I am a mistress and a homewrecker—I hope that someone will come out to reveal that Pia and Francis were no longer together when I came to his life.)
“Wala na po siya sa family residence nila for years. And, wala po akong na-violate na batas sa Pilipinas dahil single po ang marital status ng partner ko hanggang sa kinamatayan niya,” she noted, adding that Francis explained his situation to her and backed it with documents.
(He had not been residing in their family residence for years. I did not violate any law in the Philippines because my partner’s civil status was single until he died.)
Rait further appealed to the public to refrain from judging her and her daughter without knowing the whole story. “Wala po akong hinahabol. Masyado nang matagal ang mga nangyari. We’re not expecting approval or acceptance, but respect.”
(I am not after anything. What happened is already in the past. We’re not expecting approval or acceptance, but respect.)
Pia as well as her children with Francis have yet to comment on the matter as of this writing.