Philippine beauty queen Sharifa Akeel weds MP Esmael ‘Toto’ Mangudadatu after allegations of affair
- The relationship between Mangudadatu, 53, and Akeel, 24, became a source of tabloid fascination after details of their private lives spilled out on social media
- The couple were accused of having an affair while Mangudadatu was married to another woman, who described him as a womaniser in an angry Facebook post
MP Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, 53, and Sharifa Akeel, 24, were rumoured to have had an affair while Mangudadatu was still married to another woman, Mylene Mangudadatu. In August, she made a series of accusations on Facebook and described him as a womaniser. She also appeared on the TV5 talk show Wanted sa Radyo to discuss her private life.
“Under Islamic law, a man may marry up to four wives but he had already ‘filled up his slots’,” Mylene told the TV interviewer. “A husband must also ask permission from his wives before marrying another woman.”
Sharifa, who was Miss Asia Pacific International 2018, has also defended herself on social media.
In a post addressed to “Miss Desperada (Desperate)”, Sharifa challenged Mylene to “proceed to court and flaunt all your evidence”. Sharifa also warned Mylene against invoking Islam.
Philippine internet users were quick to weigh in on the wedding.
One Facebook user commented alongside coverage: “Wasn’t Akeel denying all these allegations just like a year [ago]? Now she’s getting married.” Another commenter suggested simply: “Money can buy anything.”
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Catholicism is the main dominant religion in the Philippines but there is a long history of Islam, which was introduced by Muslim traders in the 14th century and is the country’s second-largest religion. There are about 6 million Muslims in the Philippines and 93 per cent of them live on the southern island of Mindanao, where Maguindanao is located.
Mangudadatu, on the other hand, comes from a politically influential clan. In 2009, his family was targeted during the Maguindanao massacre, which left 58 people dead, including his wife and 34 journalists. He served as governor of Maguindanao from 2010-19 before being elected to represent Maguindanao’s second district in the country’s parliament.
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Some internet users wished the couple well but, although the wedding was a welcome distraction for Filipinos during the pandemic, others took the opportunity to demand the financial aid of 10,000 pesos (US$200) promised by the government that never materialised.
The couple limited the number of guests due to the coronavirus pandemic. Their wedding invitation, which was published online, stressed the need for guests to wear face masks throughout the ceremony.
