A University of Pennsylvania student who said she was left "homeless" after being expelled from campus for participating in anti-Israel camps is the daughter of a wealthy Filipino TV star.
Eliana Atienza, 19, who told the Philadelphia Inquirer she had no one to turn to for help in the US after being expelled from campus in early May, is the daughter of Kim Atienza, a well-known media personality in the Philippines known for flaunting his luxurious lifestyle online. The sophomore made similar remarks in an interview with NBC Philadelphia. Protests engulfed college campuses across the US amid Israel's reaction to Hamas' brutal assault on the Jewish state on October 7.
Her Lies Get Exposed
The Filipino native told the newspaper that she was prevented from entering her dorm because her student ID was deactivated after she was placed on mandatory leave. "I'm the only one made homeless by this," she said, noting that friends had offered to help.
Atienza said that her family is all in the Philippines. Since that interview, it has been revealed that Atienza belongs to a wealthy, prominent, and highly politically connected family in her homeland.
Her mother, Felicia Atienza, graduated from the Wharton Business School and has held positions as president and CEO of several international schools over the years, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
The family frequently flaunts their wealth on social media, sharing posts that showcase their extensive motorcycle collection, first-class flights featuring private showers and caviar service, and interactions with celebrities.
Her father, Kim, known as Kuya Kim in the Philippines, is a well-known television talk show host. Kim often shares his lavish lifestyle on social media, with the Washington Free Beacon reporting a video of him enjoying caviar in first class during a flight.
Another video on his Instagram showcases his impressive motorcycle collection.
Atienza's grandfather, Lito Atienza, is a prominent politician who served as deputy speaker in the country's House of Representatives and ran as a vice-presidential candidate alongside boxer Manny Pacquiao, one of the most famous Filipinos of all time and a noted homophobe.
Crying Foul
Despite claiming to be destitute, Atienza recently took a trip to Antarctica, according to her social media posts, and has traveled to various destinations around the world, including Alaska and Paris.
Nevertheless, Atienza claimed in an interview with KYW Newsradio that UPenn administrators had left her out on the street with nowhere to turn. "I don't have any family to go back home to here," she told the outlet.
She was one of six students suspended from campus on May 9 for participating in an encampment on a campus green to protest Israel and its war against Hamas following the deadly October 7 terror attack. Police began dismantling the encampment the following day.
Atienza participated in unsuccessful negotiations with school administrators regarding the demonstrators' demand for the university to divest from investments connected to Israel.
She is also a member of Fossil Free Penn, a group dedicated to urging the school to divest from fossil fuel companies. This group co-signed a letter supporting "Palestinians who are fighting to liberate their lands from the Israeli Occupation," which was published just days after October 7.
