“We don’t exist to each other”: Pokwang tells all about split with Lee O’Brien

After initially denying “malicious rumors” about her breakup with partner Lee O’Brian, comedian Pokwang (Marietta Subong in real life) has revealed the real reason behind their split in an exclusive interview with Boy Abunda on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” which aired on Friday, February 3.

Pokwang and Lee split in December 2021. They have a daughter, five-year-old Francine Malia O’Brian.

In her interview with Tito Boy (as he is called in the business), Pokwang admitted that she had lied in the past to cover up for Lee’s shortcomings, which include his failure to pay for child support and his womanizing ways.

Explaining the root cause of their breakup, Pokwang shared that she had invested money in a joint business that Lee went on to manage, but she was not seeing any viable returns on her investment. When she asked Lee about how business was going, he took offense and from then on, the two had stopped talking to each other.

“Alam naman po ng lahat na we have a negosyo… Pero hindi lang ‘yun, marami, marami akong kinimkim na. Dumating nga sa pagkakataon na, sa negosyo namin… as partners, as boyfriend girlfriend, as father and mother of Malia, we’re partners, ‘di ba, dapat nagtutulungan. ‘Yung negosyo kasing ‘yun, hindi mag-uumpisa kung hindi ako naglabas ng pera. In all fairness to him, pinush niya, dapat ganito, dapat ganiyan, so okay, maganda ‘yung takbo,” Pokwang said.

“Then, dumating ‘yung panahon na may questions na ako, I’m not saying na hindi siya mapagkakatiwalaan, karapatan ko kasi na bilang partner mo sa negosyo, ‘Ano na tayo? Nasaan na po tayo? Ano na ‘yung nangyayari?’ Nagpapa-update ako sa kaniya, which is feeling ko karapatan ko ‘yun, ‘di ba? Parang ang dating sa kaniya agad, hindi niya nagustuhan… Parang ang dating sa kaniya, hinuhusgahan ko na siya agad. Parang tinanggalan niya ko ng karapatan na malaman.”

“Sa ating mga artista, hindi naman tayo laging may project, hindi tayo laging sikat, hindi tayo laging may spotlight. So, maganda ‘yung nakaisip kami ng negosyo. Hindi niya nagustuhan noong nagtanong ako,” Pokwang explained.

In an interview with GMA reporter Nelson Canlas in July 2022, Pokwang had denied rumors that Lee had another woman and that he was a freeloader. Now, Pokwang says she didn’t want to tell the truth about the break-up then because she was still hoping she and Lee could still talk things over and reconcile.

Pokwang told Tito Boy: “Bilang isang ina, umaasa ko na maayos pa kami. Kahit na ang sakit-sakit na sa akin. Kailangan ko magsinungaling kasi umaasa ko, aayusin pa niya, magkakaayos pa kami. Oo, naghiwalay kami pero marami akong binigay na chance, marami akong binigay na signal na, ‘Please, ayusin mo naman ‘to para kay Malia.’ Mahal ko siya, sa totoo lang mahal ko siya, kaya ko… pagtakpan ko siya. Umasa ako na magkakabalikan pa kami.”

However, Pokwang realized that there was no saving the relationship, because even before their confrontation over finances, they had been ignoring each other.

“Para kasing naramdaman ko na ano na, parang nawala na ‘yung respeto. Bago pa mangyari ‘yung confrontation namin sa negosyo, hindi na kami nag-uusap. We don’t exist in each [other’s lives].”

“Umaasa ako na mag-aayos pa kami para kay Malia, one day mag-aayos pa, lunukin niya ang pride niya. ‘Yun ang ipinagdarasal ko talaga, gabi-gabi akong umiiyak,” disclosed Pokwang.

“Iba siya. Ever since noong naging kami hindi ka (Lee) nag-sorry sa akin. Hindi ko narinig ‘yung word na sorry. For six years, alam niya ‘yan. ‘Pag nag-aaway kami hindi ko naririnig sa kaniya ang word na sorry ever,” the comedian revealed.

“User. Hindi nagbigay ng suporta ng limang taon sa iyong anak. Nagsasabi ka ba ng totoo?” Tito Boy asked.

“’Yun ang naramdaman ko, feeling ko hindi niya ako minahal talaga. Feeling ko, hindi niya ako minahal, nagkaanak lang kami pero feeling ko kasi nandiyan na ‘yan,” Pokwang disclosed.

Pokwang also revealed that she had asked Lee to leave their home, because she felt it would be better if Malia didn’t see them fighting.