National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee opened up on the viral video where a security personnel seemingly pushed him aside while he was interacting with Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.
The beauty queen recently launched her first-ever book Queen of the Universe during the Manila International Book Fair last September 14 at the SMX Convention Center.
The video, captured by ABS-CBN entertainment reporter’s MJ Felipe, showed Pia being escorted by a security team to give a talk and grace the book signing.
As she made her way to the stage, Pia waved and greeted her fans. Lee later came into view, and was approached by the beauty queen.
Pia shook hands with Lee and uttered, “Thank you for the books,” but the security guard proceeded to stand between the two, cutting the interaction short.
This did not sit well with netizens who called out the security for seemingly disrespecting the National Artist.
Some of the comments read:
“Grabe yung hinawi lang si sir Ricky Lee. Unang una, may edad na sya, kung makahawi naman. Pangalawa, national artist sya! The disrespect!
“Hinagip lang nung guard si Ricky Lee .”
“[Obvious] na di kilala ng guard si sir ricky lee. The disrespect.
Speaking to Pep, Lee addressed the matter saying regardless of his age or status, the guard could have been more gracious.
“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,” Lee was quoted as saying
Lee only realize he was shoved aside after seeing the video on social media.
“Hindi niya kailangang hawiin kasi si Pia mismo ang lumapit at nakipag-usap. So, kawalang respeto ‘yun hindi lang sa akin kundi kay Pia. Hindi in-acknowledge ng guard na in-acknowledge ako ni Pia,” stated Lee.
Prior to the incident, the award-winning writer revealed he met Pia over lunch and graced a ribbon cutting ceremony together.
The two also exchanged each other’s books with their signatures on them.
