Maris Racal has broken her silence on the controversy surrounding her alleged involvement with her on-screen partner, Anthony Jennings, who is accused of cheating on his non-showbiz girlfriend, Jamela Villanueva. In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN, Racal expressed remorse and took accountability for her actions, admitting she made a mistake during a difficult period in her life.
“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,” Racal said. “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.”
The issue surfaced after Villanueva released screenshots of intimate conversations between Racal and Jennings, her co-star in the series Incognito. The screenshots, which went viral, fueled online backlash against Racal.
According to the actress, Jennings led her to believe he was no longer in a relationship with Villanueva. She admitted that the affair began in June 2024, at a time when she felt emotionally vulnerable.
“I was lonely, and I was getting attention from Anthony, the kind of attention that I needed,” she said. “When I sensed that there is a brewing attraction between Anthony and I, nadala ako sa emotions ko.”
Racal also revealed her frustration over Jennings’ silence on the matter, saying she repeatedly asked him to issue a statement to clarify the situation. “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,” she shared. Jennings reportedly told her he was waiting for the right moment.
The actress said she felt deeply embarrassed when the screenshots became public and extended her apologies to Villanueva, though she did not receive a response.
“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,” Racal said. “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.”
Racal concluded her statement by taking full accountability for her actions and asking for understanding as she works to move forward.
