CEBU, Philippines – Maris Racal has spoken up about the cheating controversy involving her and on-screen partner Anthony Jennings, admitting her mistake and expressing deep remorse.
Her statement comes two days after Jennings’ non-showbiz girlfriend, Jamela Villanueva, shared screenshots of intimate messages between the on-screen partners and costars on the upcoming TV Series, Incognito, revealing a relationship that sparked online backlash.
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A lookback on Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings’ friendship
“I’m so embarrassed. Nagkamali ako, and I wanna say sorry for everything I have done. I was in a very dark place. I was lonely. And I was getting attention from Anthony. The kind of attention that I needed. Nadala ako sa emosyon. I knew that was wrong. I came clean right away. I told my ex everything, and I ended things with him, and then we broke up,” Racal said during an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN on Friday, December 6.
In the said interview, Racal clarified that Jennings had made her believe he was no longer in a relationship with Villanueva when he started pursuing her. She later said that it was only supposed to be a private, “intimate thing” between her and Jennings.
“I knew better, and I should’ve handled things differently. I regret it deeply,” Racal admitted.
Maris’ recent rebuttal has stirred mixed reactions among Filipino netizens who have followed the issue online. Some have expressed disappointment, and others have urged the public to give the actress a chance to learn from her actions.
Transcript of admission of Maris Racal
Here is the complete transcript of her admission:
“Today, I will be speaking from my heart. Lahat nang sasabihin kung ano’y galing sa puso ko. Today, I will take accountability for everything.
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.
When I sensed that there was this brewing attraction between Anthony and I, nagdala ako sa emotions ko. And I knew that was wrong. I can’t clean right away.
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 because I was holding back a truth. Yan yung totoo. I wasn’t really able to simmer down.
I wasn’t able to reflect on what had happened. I was working every day, first day straight, week straight, month straight. Bago nagsimula yung mga dalit 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, nakakabreak lang, you would be so vulnerable. I was working every day.
At sa lahat ng trabaho na yan, kasama ko si Anthony. Aaminin ko, sa araw-araw na punta trabaho namin, nahulog din yung loob ko. He would be very sweet to me.
He would be such a gentle man to me. He would say things to me. He would tease me on the set in front of other people.
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.
Araw-araw kami nagtatrabaho, and September came. We went to Italy for our shoot sa teleserye namin na Incognito. And that, dun nag-start na naging deep yung pagkakilala namin sa isa’t isa.
I really felt, nung pauwi na kami ng Italy, it was my birthday, and we were stuck at the airport. The whole day. He would say things to me that are sweet.
He would say promises. We would tell promises to each other. And then, nung pauwi na naging Italy, I felt so happy that I had to post something on my IG story just to appreciate him during that day.
And nung pagkauwi ko, I think that the next two days, I saw a post or reposts ni Jam on TikTok. Nakita ko lahat yun. And at that time, yung time frame na yun, nasa screenshots din na namamusta ako, I said, kamusta si Jam? Nang musta ako kay Jam, it wasn’t because dahil alam ko na sila pa.
Dahil alam ko na she was going through something and Anthony had to take care of her. But at that time, nagtatabaho pa rin kami and he would still be the same way to me. I would ask him, 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.
And then the first wave of fashion on TikTok, masakit yun para sa akin. I asked him, when are you gonna release a statement na wala na kayo? When? Because in the eyes of the public, you were taken. But I know that you’re not.
And he would be very sweet to me. When are you gonna release a statement? He would tell me. He was waiting for the right moment.
I didn’t want to be pushy. I didn’t want to aggravate things. So I waited and kept quiet because it wasn’t my story to tell anyway.
I kept quiet. October passed. We were working still every day.
And then Halloween. It was the very first night we went out na mag-sweet kami sa isa’t isa. The next day, Jam posted on her Instagram story.
There were no names mentioned. There were no names. But people were insinuating that it was Anthony and I. So the waves of bashing came again.
I asked him again, when are you gonna release a statement? God knows how many times I begged for a statement. I begged him to fix this because I was so tired of getting bashed. He said, wait, he’s waiting for the right moment.
I waited. I still kept quiet. I really wanted to speak up.
But it wasn’t my story and I would look really pathetic. Days went by. The Prescott of Incognito happened.
He released a statement. To me, it was too late. Because at that time, I was slowly distancing myself from him romantically.
The infatuation and the attraction died. But thank you for the statement. I thought everything was in the clear.
I thought everything was gonna be okay. Ilang days nung lumipas. Screen shots.
When I saw, when I read it, it was 10pm on a Tuesday night. When I read it, I was gutted. I was shocked.
I’m truly, truly embarrassed. Tayo na kita na taula, without my consent, against my will. I read the screenshots over and 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.
And I’ve been reading those screenshots. Dun ko na pagtagpitag ni lahat na kaya pala hindi siya makapag-release ng statement. Dahil sila pa pala this whole entire time.
I didn’t know. I was in the dark. I didn’t know.
I had no idea. God knows ilang beses ako nang tanong. Ilang beses ako nang hinihingi ng statement.
I was… Dun ko rin na-realize bakit ganun yung reactions ni Jam. Now I get her. I get her pain.
I get her wrath. I get her anger. Kaya pala ganun.
Because she was clueless about everything. I was clueless about everything. We both believed kung anong mga nasabi sa’kin.
Maybe iba yung sinabi sa kanya. And I can attest that iba yung sinasabi sa’kin. That’s my side of the story.
I have so many things to say. E, hindi ka ako makapanure. Mapahinga pala akong maganito sa buhay ko.
So, to the public, I’m sorry that you got to see that very intimate side of me. Ganun talaga ako pag nagbigay ng pagmamahal. It was supposed to be private.
It was supposed to be… a private, intimate thing. I’m sad. I’m sad na nakita yun ang tao.
And yes, I’m not. 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.
Most especially, I’m very sorry. I’m truly sorry to those people who supported me for ten years. Alam nila lahat na ginabangko yung career ko papunta lang sa kung saan ko gusto.
Ginawa ko lahat. Pinahirapan ko lahat sa tulong nila na gagawa ko yung mga gusto. I don’t know.
I don’t know saan ako pakunta. Yung dignidad ko, hindi ko na mahala. Whenever I go out, whenever I walk, I feel like I’m a naked woman walking.
Hindi ko alam na yung gagawin ko. I’m so embarrassed. And I’m sorry that you get to see that.
But, I can assure you, tulungan na lang ako. Tuloy pa rin ako. Tuloy pa rin ang laban.
Punta trabaho pa rin ako kahit nahirap. Hindi pa rin namamatay yung apoy sa puso ko. I’m still looking for that little girl inside of me.
It’s hard to look for her now. But someday, I get to find her and I will be able to hold my shadows. What you saw was not a perfect human.
I’m far, far from being perfect. What you saw was a human being. And I’m just a human being.”
