Basketball player Ricci Rivero has opened up about his breakup with actress Andrea Brillantes in a televised interview with Boy Abunda that aired on Monday, June 26.
According to Ricci, he went on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” to “break his silence” for the sake of his family who have allegedly been approached by strangers to express their frustration against him. “Umabot na sa point na yung parents ko nasisigawan na sa mall o sa public areas,” he said. “Kung ako, okay lang pero wag naman ‘yung pamilya ko.”
He then revealed that he and Andrea took a break from each other in April of this year before they ultimately parted ways in May.
Photo from Instagram.com/blythe
“Marami na rin po kaming sinusubukang ayusin na problema. Personally, hindi naman siya sa may mali kasi ganito or may kasalanan or whatsoever. Siguro doon lang sa the way we are sa isa’t isa,” he shared. “Marami naman siyang puwedeng factors… could be both ‘yung maturity namin pareho, puwedeng ganoon. For whatever reason lang, may inaayos kami na sa’kin normal naman po para sa relationships.”
Ricci then admitted that the cause of the breakup was the cheating speculation that had gone viral online, even though he stressed that it wasn’t true and that he and Andrea have talked about it privately.
“‘Yung cause ng break up was ‘yung speculations, ‘yung kumakalat sa social media, ‘yung may nakita siyang girl doon sa place ko. Ilang beses naman po naming pinag-usapan ‘to, as in sobrang daming beses na sinabi ko sa kanya with all the evidences I have, kasi may mga conversations, even with my friends na hindi po sa’kin ‘yung girl,” he said.
“May papunta akong friend ng midnight tapos hindi ko naman alam na may kasama siya tapos ‘yun ‘yung naabutan niya that time. Alam ko po na alam niya, na naniniwala siya sa’kin kasi even after that, nag-uusap pa rin kami, nagkikita pa rin kami, maayos kami, ‘yung usual us, walang away, walang taasan ng boses, ‘yung maayos na pinag-uusapan namin ‘yung sa’min.”
He went on to deny that beauty queen-politician Leren Bautista was the third party to their relationship after they were seen hanging out together.
“Wala pong kinalaman si Councilor Leren. We met kasi nung outreach na, ‘yun ‘yung May 26, birthday ko po ‘yun na parang outreach kasi ginagawa ko siya every year, ever since naman nung first year college ako ginagawa ko na siya,” he said. “‘Yun sa picture naman po, ‘yun na ‘yung late birthday celebration ko with friends. Kasi ito outreach nung birthday ko tapos ‘yung picture na post kaya rin naman po walang ka-deny-deny doon sa picture, but pag-post niya po kasi sobrang daming bash agad and sobrang daming hate messages. Siguro ‘yung fear na ma-misinterpret nung tao dahil hindi naman po out ‘yung breakup namin kaya she took the story down.”
He later reiterated that he did not cheat on Andrea despite what is being claimed by netizens.
He also addressed allegations that he “used” Andrea’s fame, claiming that he never did as proven by all the times he rejected joint interviews with Andrea in the past because he didn’t want his career and his personal life to intersect. “Sa’kin sobrang genuine ng lahat, wala sa isip ko ‘yung mga ganyang bagay kasi minsan lang akong mag-girlfriend, bakit sa ganyang paraan ko pa naman gagawin, ‘diba,” he shared. “Hindi sa naiinsulto ako, pero parang naaawa ako dun sa mga nagsasabi non. Alam mo yung mga wala na lang talagang masabi sigurong tama.”
He also admitted that he’s been trying to keep his silence for a while now to honor his agreement with Andrea but could no longer help himself amid all the hate going his and his family’s way.
When asked what his biggest regret was about the relationship, his answer was simple: “Wala, Tito Boy.”
(ALSO READ: Andrea Brillantes Admits She’s Grieving Her Breakup, But Chooses to Stay Positive)
The couple celebrated their first anniversary last April.
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