Anthony Jennings clarifies he and Maris Racal are just friends, ex breaks silence

Anthony Jennings (left) and Maris Racal. Star Magic/Instagram 

Actor Anthony Jennings has confirmed his breakup with long-term partner Jamela Villanueva due to personal issues, clarifying that his on-screen partner Maris Racal was not involved in their split.

“Magkaibigan lang kami [ni Maris]. Sana matigil na [ang mga] issues,” he said in an interview with Allan Sancon of StarsPhotog last November 29.

“Hiwalay na kami. Months ago na kami hiwalay ni Jam. Personal issues namin. Si Jamela, hindi siya artista. I keep private personal,” he added.

According to Jennings, the separation was due to his own shortcomings, and he urged the public not to attack Villanueva online and to respect her privacy.

“Request ko lang ‘wag na gulihin [‘yung] tao, di siya artista. Pribado [ang] buhay niya. And ako [ang] may pagkukulang. Problema ko ‘yun at dapat kong ayusin mag-isa,” he said.

Villanueva, however, broke her silence on Tuesday evening, December 3, posting a statement on her Instagram Stories that suggested otherwise.

She said she is grateful that Jennings finally spoke up and expressed her pain of having to stay silent despite being attacked.

“All I ever wanted was to protect my personal life—and to protect him out of respect. When Maris entered the picture, I was genuinely happy for both of you. I even chose to be supportive, despite the red flags I couldn’t ignore. I respected your craft and believed in you both,” Villanueva said.

“But betrayal like this cuts deep. This is my truth, and sharing it is my way of moving forward—not with anger, but with strength, hope, and the belief that better days are ahead,” she added.

Villanueva posted a series of alleged screenshots she acquired between Jennings and Racal, suggesting that the actress was possibly involved as a third party.

She also shared her alleged conversations with Jennings, implying he was going to “stop things” between him and Racal.

“To all the women reading this, don’t be like me. It took me three long months to finally accept that I was just ignoring the reality of the situation. The sleepless nights, crying, and anxiety attacks and sabotaging yourself,” she said.

“For those three months, I blamed myself for everything I thought, felt, and saw during that time. I convinced myself I was just overthinking and overreacting because I desperately wanted to see the good in the situation. I allowed this to happen because I thought it was the best way to support them both. Most importantly, I trusted my partner and her—as a woman,” she continued.

“I’m grateful for the people who’ve found strength in my story, and whose hearts I’ve touched. They remind me that sharing my truth isn’t just about my own healing— it’s about empowering others to find the courage to embrace theirs. So if you ever find yourself in the same shoes as me, I hope you can gather the strength to put yourself first and protect your peace.”

ABS-CBN has reached out to both Racal and Jennings as well as their management Star Magic but is yet to get a comment.

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