Actress Maris Racal has broken her silence regarding the cheating allegations involving her and on-screen partner Anthony Jennings.
In a video shared by ABS-CBN on Friday, Dec. 6, Maris admitted her mistakes and stated that she would “take accountability for everything.”
“Today, I will be speaking from my heart. Lahat ng sasabihin ko ay galing sa puso ko. Today, I will take accountability for everything,” Maris began.
She recounted the emotional challenges she faced, which began in June, describing it as a “very dark place.” Feeling lonely and vulnerable, Maris explained how she developed a connection with her co-star, Anthony, while working on their teleserye “Incognito.”
“Nagkamali ako, and I want to say sorry for everything that I have done. It all started last June of 2024. I was in a very dark place. I was lonely. And I was getting attention from Anthony, the kind of attention that I needed,” she continued.
The emotional connection on set soon evolved, ultimately leading to the end of her relationship with her then-boyfriend, musician Rico Blanco.
“I told my ex everything. And I admitted things to him. And then we broke up. It wasn’t easy. It was very hard for me, too. I announced the breakup. The reason why I became so emotional during the interview was because I was holding back a truth. Yan yung totoo. I wasn’t really able to simmer down,” Maris shared.
She then explained how her emotional state, paired with a hectic work schedule, made her more susceptible to developing deeper feelings for Anthony, whom she believed was also single.
“Bago nagsimula ‘yung mga daming trabaho namin, I told Anthony that I broke up with my ex. And he also said the same thing. Mind you, I was in a very lonely place. I was so lonely. And I was so vulnerable at that time. Like everybody, na kaka-break lang, you would be so vulnerable. I was working every day,” Maris added.
She continued, revealing how the time they spent together on set contributed to her growing feelings for Anthony.
“At sa lahat ng trabaho na yan, kasama ko si Anthony. Aaminin ko, sa araw-araw na pagtatrabaho namin, nahulog din yung loob ko. He would be very sweet to me. He would be such a gentleman to me. He would say things to me. He would tease me on the set in front of other people,” she said.
“He would tell all the people who were close to me that he was single. So, I was confident to act a certain way around him on the set. Because in the eyes of the people there, we were both single,” she added.
Maris also shared that she had asked Anthony to clarify their relationship publicly and whether his previous relationship with Jam was truly over.
“God knows I asked him, ‘Nagkabalikan ba kayo?’ He said no. ‘Did you still love her?’ He said no. He would say things na ako yung gusto niya and all. I really asked him so many times,” she admitted.
However, by the time Anthony issued a public statement, Maris said her feelings for him had already begun to fade.
The situation worsened when private messages between Maris and Anthony surfaced, leading some to label her as “the other woman.” She described reading the messages as “gutting” and revealed how deeply they affected her.
“I’m truly, truly embarrassed. Dahil nakita ng tao ‘yun without my consent, against my will. I read the screenshots over and over again. Ang pinaka-na-shock ako dun. I read it. It was the perfect narrative. That there was this other woman. That there was this apologetic boyfriend. And the avoidant boyfriend towards the other woman and the scorned woman. That’s the narrative. That’s her side of the story. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But this is my side. This is my side,” Maris shared.
“Dun ko napagtagpi-tagpi lahat na kaya pala hindi siya makapag-release ng statement dahil sila pa pala this whole entire time,” she continued.
Maris also issued an apology to those she may have hurt, including Jam, whom she attempted to reach out to last November.
“So, to the public, I’m sorry that you got to see that very intimate side of me. Ganu’n talaga ako ‘pag nagbigay ng pagmamahal. It was supposed to be private,” she explained.
“I don’t want to play the victim here. Nagkamali din talaga ako. And I want to say sorry to those people I have hurt. I reached out to Jam last November. I did not get a reply. I think that was last November. Because I wanted to know what’s up. So, I’m sorry,” she continued.
Acknowledging her mistakes, Maris vowed to learn and grow from the experience.
“Most especially, I’m very sorry. I’m truly sorry to those people who supported me for ten years. Alam nila lahat na ginapang ko ‘yung career ko mapunta lang sa kung saan ko gusto,” said Maris.
She also opened up about the emotional toll the controversy has taken on her.
“I don’t know where to go. Whenever I go out, whenever I walk, I feel like a woman naked. Hindi ko alam ano gagawin ko. I’m so embarrassed. And I’m sorry that you get to see that,” she said.
“But, I can assure you, tuloy pa rin ako. Tuloy pa rin ang laban. Hindi pa rin namamatay yung apoy sa puso ko,” Maris concluded.