Jessy Mendiola has finally spoken after a jewelry company stirred controversy over her engagement ring.
Radiant Jewelry claimed that proper credit was not given after Mendiola’s fiance, Luis Manzano, purchased the ring from them. Instead, Mendiola tagged Manila Diamond Studio in photos from her engagement shoot in Amanpulo.
The actress-host aired her side in a vlog on Tuesday, Dec. 15, titled “The Truth behind the Ring: Our Engagement Story,” as reported by Inquirer Bandera yesterday, Dec. 16.
She said she was only speaking up now because she and Manzano did not want to speak ill about the business of another person.
“We wouldn’t want a person to suffer because of such a little thing, because of a diamond,” she said.
From the start, Mendiola struggled to hold back tears as she narrated the events that took place prior to the proposal.
She clarified that the proposal was not a surprise for her because her friend from Radiant Jewelry actually showed her the ring—while her relationship with Manzano was on the rocks. She also said that she had a hand in designing the ring because the friend knew what her “dream ring” was.
“I trusted her. We both trusted her, Luis and I. We had good faith her that’s why siguro (maybe) Luis chose her to make my ring kasi friend ko siya (because she was my friend),” she said.
She said Manzano bought the ring back in September 2019, but by May 2020, they were in troubled waters.
When she and Manzano split in May, she said her friend was there for her. However, she learned later on that the friend had been “badgering” Manzano to get the ring despite their situation.
Then, the friend decided to show her the ring. “She opened the box in front of me knowing na hindi kami ayos ni Luis (Luis and I were not okay). She let me wear the ring.”
The “Fit for Life” host tried on the ring and gave it back. “I do not want to have anything to do with the ring,” she recalled telling the friend.
“Can you imagine the feeling ng isang babae na hindi kayo ayos ng boyfriend mo tapos pinasuot sa iyo iyong ring? Na naisip mo what could have been na if okay kaya kami ni Luis, magpro-propose kaya siya?” Mendiola vented.
(Can you imagine the feeling of a woman who wears an [engagement] ring while she and her boyfriend are not on good terms? That you wonder what could have been if Luis and I were OK, that he would have proposed?)
“Nawala sa amin iyong feeling of excitement na luluhod iyong lalaki sa harap mo, kinakabahan, hindi niya alam anong sasabihin sa iyo, tapos tatanungin ka niya ng, ‘Will you marry me?’ Nawala sa amin iyon.”
(Taken from us was the feeling of excitement when a man kneels in front of you, all nervous and does not know what to say to you, then he will ask, “Will you marry me?” It was taken from us.)
“Luis and I chose to move on from it,” Mendiola said. They eventually reconciled and Manzano got the ring, though it would take months before he could propose because she had to “heal” after what had happened.
“We will never feel what an engagement or proposal would feel like,” she said in tears.
When Manzano finally proposed in October, it was private and “heartfelt.” They then planned a shoot in Amanpulo to re-create their original proposal.
The actress also decided to have the ring reset. “Gusto ko mabura ang sakit na naranasan ko (I wanted to get rid of the pain I felt) a few months ago,” she explained, adding that it was impractical to ask Manzano to buy another diamond simply because of some bad memories.
It was through Manila Diamond Studio that the ring was reset, with Mendiola still having a hand in the design.
Their happy proposal announcement was dampened after Radiant Jewelry released a statement accusing “a company” of taking credit for their work, and claimed that “we are the original creators of the engagement ring of Jessy Mendiola and Luis Manzano.”
Amid all the controversy, Mendiola appealed to the public, “Sana hayaan n’yo na lang kami maging masaya. Hayaan n’yo na lang kami i-enjoy yung feelng na engaged kami kasi hindi namin na-enjoy ang feeling ng proposal. Sana ibigiay nyo na lang sa amin ito.”
(I hope you can allow us to be happy. Allow us to enjoy the feeling that we are engaged, because we did not enjoy the feeling of a proposal. I hope you can give this to us.)
The couple are engaged after four years together. /ra
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