National Artist for Film and Broadcast Ricky Lee has opened up on a recent incident involving him and Pia Wurtzbach, a video of which has since gone viral on social media.
In it, he is seen trying to reach out to Pia who is surrounded by a phalanx of security people.
One of them purposely barged between Ricky and Pia as they were shaking hands.
Many in social media thought it wrong.
In an interview with pep.ph., Ricky admitted, "Hindi ko napansin, hindi ko nahalata 'yung nangyari. Wala akong napansin."
It was only after an assistant showed him the reaction on social media about it that he got to digest the whole thing.
Asked if he shared the netizens' feelings about it, he said, "Hindi ko naman naramdaman, wala akong naramdaman na nangyari na ganoon. Siguro, hindi lang ako masyadong pala-pansin sa sarili.”
But he made clear, “I think medyo naging rude 'yung guwardiya. Again, ulitin ko, hindi dahil senior citizen, hindi dahil National Artist (ako). I think maski na sinong tao, maski na bata o estudyante, kung in-acknowledge ni Pia, kinausap at pinasalamatan, huwag niyang itaboy. 'Yun ang punto ko.”
The incident happened during the Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center last September 14.