Maris Racal and Rico Blanco age gap explored in wake of Anthony Jennings cheating controversy

Maris Racal and Rico Blanco separated in July 2024 (Images via Instagram/ricoblanco100 and mariesteller)
Maris Racal and Rico Blanco separated in July 2024 (Images via Instagram/ricoblanco100 and mariesteller)

Maris Racal has made headlines after actor Anthony Jennings' ex-girlfriend, Jamela Villanueva, accused her on Instagram Stories on December 3, 2024, of being involved with Jennings while they were still together.

Notably, Racal was romantically linked to musician Rico Blanco in the past. According to Manila Bulletin, the duo's relationship became official in May 2021 and they split in July this year. They have an age gap of 24 years since Racal is 27 and Blanco is 51.

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As per The Manila Bulletin, Maris Racal addressed the separation in an interview at the time and she stated:

"In our five years together, we were always on the same page, always on the same page. But I don't know what happened to me. Maybe I turned to the next page, and saw a new perspective on life."

Also known as Rico Rene Granados Blanco, he has accumulated a huge fanbase for being associated with the rock band Rivermaya for a long time. However, he has been active as a solo artist since 2008, with three albums in his credits, starting with Your Universe.


Maris Racal and Rico Blanco were in a relationship for almost three years: Timeline and breakup explained

Although the news of the duo's romance was confirmed in May 2021, Maris posted a video through her Instagram page in March of the same year on the occasion of Rico's birthday. The clip featured the pair sitting on a couch and jamming to the song, Brighter Than Sunshine.

While Racal and Blanco did not post anything on social media to make their relationship official, the former was speaking at a virtual press conference when she revealed the news, as per The Manila Bulletin.

Before being romantically linked, Maris Racal and Rico Blanco had collaborated on a single, Abot Langit. Back in February this year, the pair were spotted celebrating Valentine's Day as Rico posted a photo of Maris with balloons and flowers in her hand.

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As mentioned, Maris Racal confirmed back in July that she and Rico Blanco have separated. According to GMA Network, the former said in an interview that she had been living lonely for the last few weeks before the split happened. She also mentioned:

"Rico and I, our universe was so beautiful. It was so full of love, laughter and music, everything. Its spontaneity, everything. We were always on the same page. But I don't know what happened to me. Maybe I turned on to the next page, and saw a new perspective."

Maris continued by describing the split as a "polite separation," adding that things were not so easy since she still has a lot of love for Blanco.


Maris Racal apologizes after Jamela Villanueva's accusations

As per the latest update, Maris Racal issued an apology for the controversy that emerged after Jamela Villanueva posted screenshots of Anthony Jennings' conversations with Racal. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Maris said:

"Today, I will be speaking from my heart… Today I will take accountability for everything… And I wanna say sorry for everything that I've done."

Villanueva added a statement to her Instagram Story, claiming that Anthony and Maris were reportedly in a relationship at the time when she and Jennings were together. Jamela said that she became suspicious from a viral birthday post shared by Maris for Anthony in September this year.

Jamela also stated that she found the messages when she secretly checked Anthony's phone and while she spoke to Jennings about it, he claimed that he and Racal separated a few months ago. Maris addressed the messages by saying:

"I'm truly embarrassed because people saw those intimate conversations without my consent. Against my will. I don't know where I'm gonna go. Whenever I go out, whenever I walk, I feel like I'm a naked woman walking."

In her interview, Maris Racal confirmed that she and Anthony Jennings had been in a relationship since June 2024, during a time when she was feeling lonely. She stated that she had no knowledge of the ongoing relationship between Jennings and Villanueva.

Edited by Sezal Srivastava
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