ABEGAIL Rait, a former flight attendant who claimed she had a relationship with the late Francis Magalona, disclosed that her alleged daughter with him, 15-year-old Gaile Francesca, is set to enter show business and follow in the footsteps of the Master Rapper.
Rait revealed her supposed relationship with Francis and their love child through an episode of the YouTube series “Pinoy Pawnstars” on Tuesday, Oct. 17. In the vlog, Rait and Francesca went to the shop of “Boss Toyo,” the owner of the series who collects items of local artists, to sell Francis’ jersey along with his letter to Rait and their photo together.
Rait recounted her relationship with Francis, from the late rapper getting her contact number after seeing her as part of the “Eat Bulaga” audience; carrying their child while he was on a tour; to giving birth to Francesca whom Francis apparently named after Rait (Gaile from Abegail) and him (Francesca from Francis).
“Kamukha nila (She looks like them),” Rait said of her daughter, apparently referring to Francesca’s resemblance to Francis’ eight children with his wife Pia Magalona.
Rait then turned emotional as she recalled the time when Francis was diagnosed with leukemia. “Sobrang gumuho ‘yung mundo ko nung time na ‘yon kasi OK kami; ang dami naming plano tapos bigla siyang nagkasakit.”
(My world fell apart at the time because we were OK; we had so many plans and then he suddenly got sick.)
“Ang pinakamahirap na part is ‘yung situation ko, ‘yung hindi ka pwede lumabas,” she continued. “For 15 years, nanahimik ako. I didn’t say anything about me and my daughter.”
(The hardest part was my situation—that I couldn’t go public with our relationship. I kept mum for 15 years. I didn’t say anything about me and my daughter.)
Rait further underscored that she knows people will “judge” her for her revelation but that she did such for her daughter. Rait noted as well that Francesca reminds her very much of the Master Rapper as the kid can also sing, rap and dance like Francis.
“We exist. What we had is real,” Rait added, while Francesca showed photos of Francis with her and her mother.
Boss Toyo then went on to ask Francesca, “Hindi ka ba mag-aartista? (Won’t you enter show business?)” to which Rait replied, “Soon, lalabas siya. [Music din].” (She will, soon, and in the music industry as well.)
The Master Rapper, known for his nationalistic songs including “Mga Kababayan,” “Kaleidoscope World,” “Nilamon ng Sistema” and “Higante,” among many others, died in March 2009 after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2008.
His wife Pia as well as their children have yet to comment on the matter as of this writing. (Anne Pasajol © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
