'Glee' Star Charice's Father Killed in Philippines

(NewsCore) - The father of Filipino pop singer and "Glee" star Charice was stabbed to death with an ice pick in a drunken street fight, police said Tuesday, with the singer canceling an overseas tour to be with her family in the wake of the attack.

Construction worker Ricky Pempengco, 39, was stabbed repeatedly late Monday after an altercation with another drinker in a street in an agricultural town south of Manila, police told AFP.

"They bumped into each other and from there, they got into a fight," said local police chief Senior Superintendent Gilbert Cruz.

Police were still searching for the suspect in the killing, he added.

The 19-year-old singer, who was born Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco but goes by the stage name Charice, spoke of her father on Twitter.

In a post written in both Filipino and English she said they had been close until her parents separated when she was a young child, and the children stayed with their mother.

"I loved him and I will still love him. He's still my dad after all," she wrote in English.

Filipino media have widely reported that her father's violent and abusive behavior led to the family breakup.

Charice, who had been touring in Singapore with hit-making producer David Foster, said she would be pulling out of the concerts to be with her family in the Philippines.

"I am very sorry to all my fans from Singapore. I am not going to be there to be part of David Foster and Friends concert. I have to go back to the Philippines as soon as possible to be with my family. I hope you all understand. I love you all and I will see you next year," she tweeted.

Charice rose to international fame through performances posted on YouTube, eventually appearing on major US television shows such as the "Ellen DeGeneres Show," "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and had a recurring role in the second season of "Glee" as Sunshine Corazon.

"Glee" co-creator and executive producer Brad Falchuk has spoken of the possibility of her character returning to the show during the current season three.