Jessy Mendiola breaks silence on third party rumors

For years, Jessy Mendiola stayed quiet. But in a rare moment of honesty during a sit-down interview on Ogie Diaz Inspires, the actress finally addressed persistent rumors that she had been a third party in Luis Manzano’s previous relationship — speculation that, despite repeated denials, never truly disappeared.

“Na third party ako,” Jessy said directly when asked about the most hurtful piece of fake news she’s encountered. Though she initially tried to steer the conversation with a joke about the artwork behind Ogie, the weight of the topic eventually brought out a more candid response.

“Hindi, ayoko kasi ring maungkat pa kasi alam naman natin na hindi totoo,” she admitted. “At kumbaga, masaya na tayong lahat.”

She recalled the emotional difficulty of being misunderstood publicly.

“Kasi sinagot ko na rin yun before eh, but the sad thing about that also was kahit sinagot ko na siya nang paulit-ulit, hindi ako pinapaniwalaan ng mga tao," she said.

Jessy opened up about the emotional toll of being misjudged despite speaking the truth: “Ang hirap din kasi kahit ano pang sabihin mo, kung ano ang tingin ng tao na tama para sa kanila at totoo para sa kanila, yun ang papaniwalaan nila.”

Eventually, she said she learned to let go. “Ni-let go ko na rin yun,” she said calmly. “Sabi ko nga kay Lord nun, ‘Sige, Lord, sabihin lang nila kahit anong gusto nilang sabihin tungkol sakin. Basta alam ko, ire-reward mo rin ako when the right time comes.’”

That reward, Jessy said, is her quiet, happy family life with husband Luis Manzano and their daughter, Rosie.

“True enough, nagkaroon ako ng magandang pamilya, and masaya na ako ngayon," she said.

Vilma Santos’ heartbreak after 2025 elections

In the same interview, Jessy also opened up about the recent loss of Luis in the 2025 Batangas vice gubernatorial race — something that affected not only him but also his mother, Batangas Governor and screen legend Vilma Santos.

“Si momskie din ‘yung nakiusap kay Luis na ‘Baka puwedeng itry mo naman ang ibang mundo,’” Jessy shared. “Palagi rin niyang sinasabi, ‘We are so blessed, maganda rin na tumulong tayo sa iba.’”

At Vilma’s oathtaking earlier this year, Jessy saw how invested the governor was in her son’s campaign. “Palagi niyang nililingon si Luis,” she said. Despite his defeat, Luis remains active in Batangas, working to fulfill his promises. “Tinutupad lang niya ‘yung mga binitawan niyang salita,” Jessy added.

As for any plans for a 2028 comeback, Jessy said, “Wala pa sa hinagap namin.”

For now, Jessy Mendiola stays grounded in her faith, family, and quiet truth. “At the end of the day,” she said, “you can’t please everyone. But as long as you’re at peace and God knows your heart, that’s all that matters.”