MELANIE Marquez disclosed she is filing for divorce from her American husband of over two decades, Adam Lawyer, who allegedly physically abused her by punching her in several instances and pointing a gun at her.
The Miss International 1979 titleholder spoke up about this in her “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” interview which aired on Monday, Jan. 5. She revealed she already wrote to the Bureau of Immigration and requested for the cancellation of Lawyer’s visa and for him to be blacklisted in the country.
“I was verbally abused, iniinsulto niya ako emotionally, financially and mentally,” Marquez said of Lawyer, the father of Adam Jr. and Abraham — two of her six children.
She recalled how Lawyer—whom she also calls Randy—also allegedly convinced her to work at a farm in Utah during the early years of their marriage, which caused her to lose her unborn baby at the time.
Marquez detailed as well the incidents in 2022 in which Lawyer allegedly pointed a gun at her, and when he punched her in the ear while she was sleeping.
After the punching incident, the actress-beauty queen said she went to the hospital, where she was then informed that she had a damaged eardrum. Marquez said she also reached out to their barangay officials who asked Lawyer to temporarily leave the couple’s shared home.
In another instance in 2025, Marquez claimed Lawyer, still unprovoked, punched her on the chest while they were in the car. This resulted in a fractured rib which had left her temporarily unable to move her body.
Marquez went to the police station to report the incident. However, she said she still pitied Lawyer so instead of having the police arrest him, she just left their house and filed a protection order against him.
Marquez further disclosed that there was also an instance when her husband hurt their son Adam Jr. and even Mazen, the actress’ son with autism.
When asked why it took her “so long” before she spoke up against Lawyer, Marquez said, “I really want a family.”
“But I cannot take this—the abuse that [he’s] doing to me. It’s physical,” she added. “He’s simply a manipulative person.”
Abunda further asked, “Wil you divorce Randy now?” to which she responded, “Yes because ang dami na niyang ginawa sa akin.”
“All I wanted is to have peace of mind. I deserve that. I want to be happy. I want to grow, to rise again because he pinned me down,” she lamented. (Anne Pasajol © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
