'Glee' Star Charice Pempengco's Father Murdered in the Philippines; Manhunt on for Killer

Sad news for a "Glee" star today, and a story that shows fans just how far that she's come.

Charice Pempengco, who plays Sunshine Corazon on "Glee," found out today that her father had been stabbed to death with an ice pick during a street altercation in the Philippines.

Pempengco was estranged from her father, whom she told Oprah in 2008 (see the segment below) had once threatened to shoot her mother with a shotgun.

"Ricky Pempengco, 40, was shopping in San Pedro township when he bumped into Angel Capili, who allegedly stabbed Pembengco in the chest and back with an ice pick," Laguna province police chief Gilbert Cruz told People.

A manhunt is also apparently currently underway to apprehend the alleged killer, Capili. According to the AP, "a manhunt has been launched for the suspect, with a 20,000 pesos ($470) award for information leading to his arrest."

Pempengco, who had not seen her father since childhood, when he threatened her mother, gave the following statement (translated from Tagalog and some English by People) via her official Twitter account @officialcharice:

"Last night, I was with somebody that looked like my dad. I didn't know that my dad was trying to make his presence felt. I just want you to know that we had a really great relationship before all the trouble started. My mother didn't know that when I was young, my father told me that he wanted me to be a soldier because I'm a fearless woman. I loved him, and I will still love him. He's still my dad after all."

Unfortunately, the death of her father (and the fact that the "Glee" star was estranged from him) resulted in some of his siblings making unflattering comments about Pempengco in the press, like suggesting she was happy about his death.

According to ABS-CBN News in Manila, Pempengco had a message for those particular family members:

"To my father's siblings, you have no right to say or guess how I feel. Who are you to say that I should be happy over the death of my own father. You're just his siblings and I am the daughter. If you recall, you yourself told us to avoid my dad. You told us to stop using his surname. Our mother never stopped us from visiting daddy, but you wouldn't allow us. For you to say that, it only shows you have no respect for his family. Instead of repairing, you're even destroying. I know I got angry at him, but I never disowned him. I've long kept my silence over your scandals. But now, I can no longer take it. Even after my father's death, you're still the same. I'm not afraid, especially of people who have no respect."

Guess she's right about being a fighter...

Watch Charice on "Glee":

Watch an Oprah segment on Charice Pempengco: