T

he Jakarta Police have said that a DNA paternity test confirms Ario Kiswinar Teguh is the biological son of popular motivational speaker Sismaryono “Mario” Teguh.

Ario and Mario have been involved in a public dispute since the younger man accused his father of abandonment on a televised talk show.

“The DNA test result shows that Ario Kiswinar Teguh is the biological son of Sismaryono Teguh and Aryani Soenarto,” Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono said as quoted by kompas.com on Friday.

Ario claimed Mario had refused to acknowledge him as his son from Mario’s first marriage to Ario’s mother, Aryani. In his defense, Mario, who divorced Aryani in 1993 and married his second wife, Linna Susanto, alleged that Ario was the offspring of a union between Aryani and another man.

Mario then challenged Ario to conduct a DNA test to prove his claim, a challenge, the motivational speaker claimed, had been repeatedly rejected by Aryani.

Ario and Aryani decided to report Mario to the Jakarta Police for defamation and agreed to undergo a DNA test to support their claims.

The police said the DNA test result meant the case against Mario, who is known for his social media messages about honesty and loyalty, would continue.