Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan on forgiving her late father Tony Ferrer: 'Why did I have to wait so long'
Despite her difficult childhood, Marciel Laxa-Pangilinan embarked on a journey of healing and forgiveness for her father, the late veteran actor Tony Ferrer, who used to introduce her as his niece.
In an interview with Karen Davila on YouTube, the 52-year-old actress opened up about her relationship with her father, who she thought considered her his "junior."
"Merong time kasi na kinakailangan protektahan ng daddy ko yung pamilya niya," Laxa-Pangilinan said. "Pinakilala niya ako na pamangkin niya sa mga kapatid ko."
And as husband Anthony Pangilinan confirmed, Ferrer would even ask for permission from his daughter for this. While it caused pains for Laxa-Pangilinan, her father said he did it because his other family wouldn't understand.
"It was a major pain that I experienced at that time kasi di ko siya maintindihan pero kinausap ko yung daddy ko, 'Bakit kailangan mangyari yun?' [Sabi niya] 'Kasi di pa nila maintindihan,'" the actress shared.
"But I knew I was loved, I knew I was special but somehow there was a question na would I be acknowledged? Di lang siguro tampo yung naramdaman ko, talagang it was really something I couldn't figure out in my heart and in my head. I just grew up trusting that's what they knew was best," she added.
Ferrer's final days
In January 2021, the actress got a call from her father who was asking to see her pastor. She was also told by a doctor that Ferrer only had 24 hours to live while she was on set.
Laxa-Pangilinan was able to go to her father who gathered his children asking if he had unfinished business with them.
"I have to say, that is one miracle that the Lord provides at a time that you need it the most," she told Davila. "Walang kahit isang bahid ng tampo or question in my heart na kailangan namin i-settle at a time."
The veteran actor passed 48 hours after their talk on January 23, 2021 due to heart illness and diabetic complications.
Asked about how she was able to forgive her father, Laxa-Pangilinan said it was "the work of the Lord" in her. "Yung biggest thing na kinakailangan kong to heal from is why did I have to wait so long to have all those little tampos to be erased."
Pangilinan chimed in, saying his wife forgave Ferrer on their 10th year together when he asked her if he had to still be both a husband and father figure to her.
Laxa-Pangilinan is Ferrer's daughter with actress Imelda Ilanan, he has three other children including former beauty queen Mutya Laxa-Buensuceso.