After opening up on the real reason for her split with ex-boyfriend Neil Salvacion, Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo received criticism from Salvacion's sister for allegedly not telling the truth about their breakup.
On the Tuesday episode of “Fast Talk With Boy Abunda," the beauty queen-turned-actress revealed that Salvacion once proposed to her but she turned him down as she was still young and had lots of dreams for her career.
"This is the first time na sasabihin ko ito but he proposed to me, Tito Boy. And I was so young that time. I wasn’t ready. Pero I have a lot of dreams pa. I have a lot of dreams for my family, and during that time, he was ready to settle na. Feeling niya, okay na siya sa buhay, pero ako, I want to aspire for more. So doon kami nagkaroon ng conflict," Mateo said.
When further probed by Abunda if breakup is the solution for their issues then, she answered: "Hindi ko na rin mabigay yung 100 percent sa relationship kasi maraming nangyayari. Yung engagement na yun for me it was a big step. Hindi naman kami agad naghiwalay."
"During that time galing din ako sa walang-wala. And when I won Miss Universe Philippines, parang sabi ko eto na yung time ko para makapag-ipon, para mabilhan ko yung nanay ko ng bahay, para mapagpatuloy ko man kung gusto pa ng kapatid ko mag-aral. So parang ako po yung breadwinner. And dahil wala akong dad, parang nasa akin yung responsibilidad na yun. So hindi ko pa kaya maiwan yun para mag-asawa," she continued.
Rabiya finished in the Top 21 of the 69th Miss Universe Competition in Florida back in May 2021.
'Something happened along the way'
However, Salvacion's sister, who goes by the name Nhel Skie on Facebook, slammed Mateo's statement and said that she never rejected the proposal from her brother.
"You never rejected my brother’s proposal. In fact, you accepted it and wore the ring before your pageant started internationally. Something happened along the way and you opted to commit a sin during the pageant and you have to own up to that," she wrote.
"You’re lucky na mas gustong manahimik ng kapatid ko kesa patulan ang mga scripted na sagot mo," she added.
Rabiya had yet to address this matter, as of posting.
Back in September 2021, Salvacion tried his luck to be one of the new housemates in the upcoming season of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB). At the time, he hinted at the two types of "corona" he faced: COVID-19 and the crown, referring to ex-girlfriend Rabiya.
“Ako po ay isang COVID nurse na dapat ay mag-aabroad pero mas piniling manilbihan dito sa bansa bilang isang frontliner. Sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Diyos, ang buhay ko po ay hospital-bahay. Minsan ay masisilayan mo ang huling hininga ng mga pasyente,” he said.
“Dumating ang panahon na bawal kang lumapit sa mga mahal mo sa buhay dahil hindi mo alam kung positive or negative ka, kailangan mo mag-isolate. Nakakalungkot man mag-isolate ng ilang buwan, mas nakakalungkot pala maiwan ka ng taong minamahal mo dahil sa pangarap nitong korona," he stated, indirectly alluding to his Mateo.
Prior to this, Salvacion was the first to confirm in June 2021 that he and Mateo have called it quits after a six-year-long relationship. He was the beauty queen's first boyfriend.
Currently, Rabiya is in a relationship with fellow Kapuso actor Jeric Gonzales.
