Philippine actress Beauty Gonzalez accused of ‘grave robbery’ over wearing ‘ancestral’ gold jewellery
- The actress has come under fire for flaunting jewellery made from centuries-old excavated gold at a recent fundraiser gala in Manila
- Veteran art critic Marian Pastor Roces said an ‘astounding’ number of graves would have been desecrated to fetch the ornaments that Gonzalez wore at the event
Philippine actress Beauty Gonzalez has come under fire for “crassly” flaunting jewellery made from centuries-old excavated gold at a recent fundraiser gala attended by celebrities and politicians in Manila.
Gonzalez graced the occasion in a nude corseted gown, describing her look that included a gold neck piece and earrings that were unearthed from cities like Butuan and Surigao, as an “appreciation for Philippine ancestral gold”.
The Heiress star declined to reveal the price of the pieces, telling the Philippine Entertainment Portal “the only thing I can say is you can see those things in museums”.
But her appearance at last week’s event was denounced by veteran art critic Marian Pastor Roces and social media users who accused the 32-year-old of “grave robbery”.
She said an “astounding” number of graves would have been desecrated to fetch the ornaments.
“This fashion victim is wearing mouth and eye covers: around 10 of them. Which is to say that the necklace was fashioned from excavations of many individuals,” the Manila-based curator added.