MANILA – Since they separated in October, both Janine Gutierrez and Rayver Cruz have generally remained mum about their split.

Gutierrez, however, was not able to avoid the topic when she was asked about the rumored romance of her former boyfriend and singer-actress Julie Ann San Jose.

“Whatever makes him happy, I just want him happy always talaga. I’m always gonna care about him,” she told PEP.

Gutierrez said she still wishes Cruz well even if they are no longer together.

“‘Di kami nagkikita uli, pero okay naman kami. I always wish him the best and I’m always rooting for him talaga.”

Cruz and Gutierrez were together for four years. Half of that time, they shared a home network in GMA-7, until Gutierrez’s transfer to ABS-CBN in January last year.

Despite their breakup, an ABS-CBN News source said “no third party was involved” in their separation, adding that Gutierrez and Cruz may have “drifted apart” after long periods of not seeing other due to their respective quarantined projects.

CLOSENESS WITH PAULO

Meanwhile, Gutierrez also answered questions about her growing closeness with Paulo Avelino, who was her leading man in the ABS-CBN series “Marry Me, Marry You.”

“Well, I’m happy that we are close. We have always been close naman. Mas naging close lang kami after ng teleserye and after working together sa ABS,” she said.

Gutierrez also said she really enjoys “spending time with him and talking to him.”

Last month, Gutierrez and Avelino were spotted in what seemed to be a vacation in Palawan.