Miss World PH 2015 pays tribute to dad after fatal shooting

MANILA, Philippines – Miss World Philippines 2015 Hillarie Parungao took to Facebook to recall moments with her father Edmundo Parungao, who died on Tuesday, April 18.

According to a Philippine Star report, Edmundo died after reportedly shooting himself inside a police station in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, after an alleged drug-related arrest. Quoting a police report, the Star said Edmundo grabbed the gun of his police escort who had uncuffed him when he complained of chest pains.

In a message posted on Thursday, April 20, Hillarie shared her dad’s and brother’s photos.

“My brother and my dad in picture. My dad worked in Taiwan when I was very little and I only know him through pictures and letters. I must say, my modeling career started when he asked my mom to constantly send him our photos.

“This picture was taken when he came back from overseas; I finally have a face of my father.
He was holding a keyboard organ for me… He had a bucket of lego for my brother. I was stunned to see my dad in person. To finally put a face on the man I have loved through photos, paid phone calls and cassette tape recordings.

“I followed him everywhere around the house without him knowing, hiding behind his shadow. I turned my back for a while and I lost him, I went out of the house and found him standing by the wooden gate of our house. Reluctantly I came close to him only to see that he was tearing up. It broke my heart, terribly. A father that he was, he didn’t want me to see him crying and asked me to get him a match for his cigarette. I obliged and hurried back to him. Looking up with my eyes asking him, he gave me a smirk and told me to go back in. But I stood there just watching him,” she said.

She added: “My first memory of my dad… A man in his denim jeans and white t-shirt. Bubbly, full of life and love, hurting and sobbing. I kept that first memory vividly, because at that very moment I told myself that I will never want to see my father cry again, i never want him to ever be hurt.

“Few people close to me have heard of this story… As I sit watching him now sleeping still, I told him, ‘Dad, you will never be hurt anymore.

“I’m broken, I will always be, and no one or nothing can ever mend my heart; but these words give me comfort.”

On Friday, April 21, Hillarie posted details of her father’s wake and said: “Sing along his favorite songs as we bring him to his resting place and pray for his soul.

“I can just imagine him all smiles and ready to throw his antics when he sees you all here.” – Rappler.com