Q1: Who was Freddie Aguilar married to at the time of his death?
A1: Freddie Aguilar was married to Jovie Albao (Farida). The couple married under Islamic rites in Buluan, Maguindanao, in November 2013 and remained together until his death on May 28, 2025.
Q2: Why was Freddie Aguilar’s marriage to Jovie Albao controversial?
A2: When they married in November 2013, Aguilar was 60 years old and Albao was 16. The 44-year age gap provoked widespread national outrage, prompting debates on child marriage and the use of the Code of Muslim Personal Laws to bypass the civil marriage age minimum of 18.
Q3: Did Freddie Aguilar have children with his first wife, Josephine Queipo?
A3: Yes. Josephine Queipo is the mother of four of Aguilar’s children, including musician Maegan Aguilar and son Jeriko Aguilar, who were central figures in the family's artistic history.
Q4: Why did Freddie Aguilar convert to Islam?
A4: Aguilar converted to Islam in 2013, taking the name Abdul Faried, in order to marry Jovie Albao under Presidential Decree No. 1083 (Code of Muslim Personal Laws), which allows marriage for minors under specific cultural and religious provisions.
Q5: What was the nature of Maegan Aguilar's relationship with her father before he passed?
A5: Maegan and Freddie Aguilar experienced a highly publicized, volatile relationship featuring estrangements over personal and financial matters, followed by periods of reconciliation. In his final years, the family made active efforts to rebuild their ties away from the cameras.
