Despite their separation, mutual respect remains between them, especially for the sake of their daughter, Athena. Rufa assured that their child continues to feel the presence of her father in her life.
“Tatay mo ‘yan, hindi naman mapapalitan, ‘di ba? ‘Yan ang daddy mo habambuhay. Kaya kung hindi siya ngayon available or gusto niyang mag-rest or away, space, eh OK ‘yun. Wait lang tayo,” the actress explained.
("That’s your dad, and no one can replace him, right? He’ll always be your daddy. So if he’s not available right now or wants to take a break, that’s okay. Let’s just wait.")
Rufa revealed that they had been dealing with marital problems for some time, but she chose to keep quiet in order to protect her daughter’s emotional well-being.
“Iniisip ko ‘yung anak ko na papaano ‘yun baka mag-adjust, masaktan,” she shared.
("I was thinking about my child — how it might affect her, how she might have to adjust or get hurt.")
In previous interviews, Quinto admitted that she and her Filipino-American husband had been experiencing marital challenges, which surfaced publicly amid her involvement in a case involving alleged violations of the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).