Awra Briguela owns up to her mistakes, says she's getting 'better and stronger' following Makati brawl
Former child star and content creator Awra Briguela admitted that she learned from her mistakes following her involvement in a brawl in Makati, saying she is getting "better" and "stronger.
In a recent vlog titled, "My SpaghetTEA with Awra", uploaded last Thursday, May 2, Its Showtime host Vice Ganda asked Awra about the incident and how she was after the altercation.
"Nasangkot ka sa isang insidente na pinag-usapan ng buong Pilipnas, Kumusta ka na naman?" Vice Ganda asked.
"I'm okay. I'm getting better and getting stronger," Awra responded.
She added, "I owned up to my mistake."
Vice went on by asking Awra how the incident affected her, which got the 21-year-old actress emotional.
"Ako yung tao na di talaga kayang ipakita yung weakness ko sa taong mahal ko, kaya after nung what happened, kahit nung nakauwi na ako, syempre lugmok na lugmok ako, umiyak na ako, 'yun yung time na 'di ko na talaga kaya."
"Nung nakulong ako, parang 'di ko pa rin siya ma-realize na parang nangyayari na sa akin 'yun," she continued.
'Sumobra talaga ako'
Awra acknowledged that she hadn't anticipated the previous conflict, and said that she frequently relied on the nightlife to help her forget her problems.
"And nangyari kasi 'di ko talaga siya inexpect kasi nga, YOLO ako nun eh, I [partied] almost every night."
"Super gimikera talaga ako nun, I just want to have fun talaga and makalimot ng problema, so in short tinatakabuhan ko mga problema ko, hindi ko siya hinaharap, so nung nangyari siya sa akin, 'di ako makapaniwala."
In June 2023, the local star was embroiled in controversy after she got into a brawl at a bar in Poblacion in Makati that led to her arrest. She allegedly tried to take a man's shirt off by force, and when he wouldn't comply, that's when things started getting heated.
However, Awra's friend, Zayla Nakajima—in a now-deleted post on Facebook and Instagram Story—had a different take on the incident, saying that Awra was only protecting her and their other friend, who was said to be sexually harassed by a group of men inside the bar.
While Awra was put behind bars for several days, the executive judge at the Makati Regional Trial Court eventually granted the actress a release order after she posted a P6,000 bail.
Charges of physical injuries, alarm and scandal, direct assault, and disobedience to a person in authority were subsequently filed against her, with additional ones that include light threats, grave coercion, and violation of the Safe Spaces Act.
A month after the incident, Vice broke her silence on the issue and set the record straight that she has not abandoned Awra as her talent manager.
"Hindi kami naghihiwalay ni Awra. Hindi ko siya iiwanan lalung-lalo na sa posisyon ng buhay niya, she needs guidance and I will be there for her," Vice said.
"Wala tayong magagawa, nangyari na 'yun. Magsisisihan pa ba tayo? Magmumurahan pa ba tayo? What can we learn from this especially you? What can you learn from this experience? How can this experience strengthen you as a person and empower you to be a better person?" she added.