Jessy Mendiola reveals she almost broke up with Luis Manzano

Jessy Mendiola and Luis Manzano. Image: Instagram/@jessymendiola

Jessy Mendiola admitted she came to a point where she almost ended her marriage with Luis Manzano, saying she had already informed his mom Vilma Santos of her decision at the time.

Mendiola revealed this during her “Truth or Dare” vlog with Manzano, as seen on her YouTube channel on Sunday, Sept. 8. Mendiola was asked to “describe the time [she] almost broke up with [her] spouse.”

“‘Yun ‘yung time na may mga tao sa paligid niya na talagang hindi okay,” Mendiola recalled, with Manzano adding, “Nasama ako sa issue.”

Mendiola noted that a certain individual, whom she did not name, even quarreled with her the day after her wedding.

“Kinasal kami tapos the next day, inaway-away ako nung taong ‘yon. Kaya pala galit na galit siya sakin kasi may tinatago siyang sikretong karumaldumal, na malala,” she said. “Do’n ko naamoy na parang, ‘May something itong taong ito. Bakit galit na galit siya na kinasal kami?'”

When Mendiola informed Manzano of her gut feeling and warned him that the certain individual is not good for him and their family, the actress said the TV host even argued with her.

“Ayaw niya talaga patibag. Inaaway niya talaga ako. As in talagang away,” she recounted. “Kulang na lang kampihan niya ‘yung mga taong ‘yon… Nung sinabi ko sa kanya, nagagalit pa siya sa akin tapos hindi niya ako pinapansin.”

“Sinasabi niya sa akin, ‘Mali ka. Matagal ko na silang kilala. Halos kababata ko sila, part of the family ‘— so ako, hindi ba part of the family?” she continued.

Mendiola also disclosed that Manzano already wanted a child at the time, but that she told him that he was not ready to be a dad because he would still choose his friends over his family.

“Nagpaalam na talaga ako kay Momski no’n,” Mendiola said, referring to Santos. “Sabi ko, ‘Momski, hindi ko na talaga po kaya. Mahal ko po kayo pero hindi na po ako pinapakinggan ng asawa ko sa totoo.'”

Days after she said her goodbyes to Santos, Mendiola said Manzano realized the truth. “It wasn’t easy. Gradual na nangyari na nakakalas siya sa mga taong ‘yon.”

“‘Yung feeling parang gusto mo na lang talaga [siyang] iwan pero oo nga pala, kasal nga pala tayo. Hindi tayo pwedeng basta-basta maghiwalay,” Mendiola added.

“I guess ginawa ‘yon ni Lord para mas mapalakas ‘yung relationship natin sa isa’t isa,” she said, looking at Manzano.

While the couple did not expound on the matter, it can be noted that Manzano got involved in an investment scam issue in 2023. At the time, Santos revealed that those who dragged Manzano’s name into the mess were his friends whom they treated like family.

It was not immediately confirmed, however, if this was the incident the couple was referring to.

Mendiola and Manzano first tied the knot in a civil wedding in 2021, then welcomed their daughter Rosie in December 2022. Two years later, the couple held a church wedding in Palawan.