Elijah Canlas confirmed rumors that he and girlfriend Miles Ocampo had broken up, putting an end to weeks of speculation about their relationship.

Canlas made the admission during an online interview with Ogie Diaz on Tuesday, 1 September.

“As much as I've been trying to keep it private, siyempre I'm going through it, pero dahil nga lumalabas na siya, I think it's time for me to say, opo, totoo siya [na hiwalay na kami],” he said.

“Out of respect for Miles, siyempre I will always have love for her; kailangan sabihin na lang din para wala nang speculations na mas magpapalala pa sa pinagdadaanan namin.”

The breakup marked another painful chapter for the couple, who first called it quits in November 2023 before reconciling a few months later. Rumors of another split surfaced in late July.

“Ayun yung masakit na part about it, kasi when we got back together, thinking, you know, this is it, but that's what happens with relationships,” Canlas said.

“Binigay namin ang lahat. We broke up mutually and very amicably. Walang hate, at least on my part.

“Masakit yung ganung klase na mutual, yung wala namang problema pero na-realize niyo lang na baka hindi na talaga match.”

Canlas said he chose not to disclose the details of their breakup out of respect for Ocampo and their five-year relationship.

“I don't want to get into the full details, out of respect for her and our relationship. Pero ayun po yung totoo.

“It was a mutual decision. It wasn't just me; it was her also.”

He recalled how emotional their final conversation was as they mutually decided to end their relationship.

“Doon na kami sa point na noong nag-decide kami, umiiyak lang kami and said thank you to each other for the past five years na mga pinagdaanan namin.

“Masakit yung ganun, pero nag-decide kami as adults to separate, to break up basically.

“And we need to respect that kasi desisyon namin yon. We have that decision together,” he explained.

Canlas said he did not try to change Ocampo’s mind, knowing they had reached the decision together.

“Parang it would be bad if tinry ko pa ulit kasi nag-decide na kami noon nang sabay. Respetuhin ko na dapat yung desisyon na yon,” he said.

Despite their breakup, Canlas said his love and respect for Ocampo would remain.

“Habang buhay ko naman siyang mamahalin. Habang buhay ko siyang rerespetuhin, kaya hindi ko na para guluhin yung mga napagdesisyunan namin,” he explained.

On staying friends

Canlas was hesitant to say whether he and Ocampo could immediately remain friends following their breakup.

“I don't know if we can say that now.

“We broke up amicably, yes. But we were together for five years. It's not easy to jump back into being friends like that.

“It's been a couple of months pa lang. It's been very fresh.

“I'd be open to it, of course. The love will always be there, and she's a great, great person, and I love that.

“Iba pa yung panahon ngayon. We need to heal.”

Canlas denies third-party rumors

In the same interview, Canlas also denied allegations that a third party was involved in his breakup with Ocampo, following the circulation of a short video showing him with actress Thea Astley.

“That's not true. Miles would know. Out of respect for Miles and out of respect for Thea, I guess kailangan kong sabihin na ang OA [overacting] ng mga tao.

“They made a mountain out of a molehill. There was no molehill to begin with.”

Canlas explained that he and Astley were simply friends and that they were not alone during their trip to La Union.

“Thea and I are just friends, and we've been friends for a while.”

“It wasn't just the two of us in La Union; we were with our other friends.”

Addressing the video that sparked the speculation, he said: “Kung papanoorin ulit yung video, hindi ko naman siya hinawakan sa kamay.

“Inurong ko lang po siya kasi pipiktyuran ko sila...”

He said the video was blown out of proportion and unfairly fueled speculation about his personal life.

“It was just really, like, people blew it out of proportion, and that was really unfair to me, to Miles, to Thea, unfair to everybody involved, and to my friends who were there also.

“Pumunta lang ako sa La Union kasi sunud-sunod yung trabaho ko, kaya sabi ko parang gusto kong mag-beach,” he explained.

Canlas said the trip was simply a gathering among friends.

“So, nag-beach ako tapos nagyaya lang ako ng mga kaibigan na gustong sumama.

“Pero magkakaibigan lang talaga kaming lahat. Kaya nakakatawa na ginagawang isyu ng mga tao, though fake news talaga.

“Yung ibang tao, sigurado na talaga sila na nagloko ako, na may iba na ako.

“Wala akong bago. I'm just coming off fresh from a breakup.

“[Thea] is just my friend.”

Canlas also appealed to the public to give him and Ocampo space to heal, acknowledging that speculation comes with being public figures.

“Sana yung pag-speculate ng mga tao... Though wala naman kaming magagawa, we're public figures, it comes with the job.”

“Minsan masakit. Siyempre, hindi nila alam yung totoo. Wala naman silang alam.”

“That's how I'd like to keep it. Yung mga pinagdaanan namin, amin yon, e.”

“Yung pagmamahalan namin, amin yon.”

“Sobrang dami naming pinagdaanan, and ang hirap na i-minimize lang yung sa breakup na ang daming speculation na ganito ganyan.”

“Pero no, it's much more than that, and kami lang pong dalawa ang nakakaalam nun.”

“Kaya sana respetuhin ng mga tao yon. Sana, they go easy on Miles. Go easy on me and let us heal, basically.”