Veteran actor Ricardo Cepeda has finally spoken about one of the darkest chapters in his life, his 11-month detention following an alleged syndicated estafa case filed against him in 2023.
In an emotional interview on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, Cepeda opened up about the ordeal alongside his longtime partner, former beauty queen and model Marina Benipayo.
Clad in quiet dignity, Cepeda detailed how he became entangled in the controversy while working as a brand ambassador for a direct-selling company. “My role was simple. I was endorsing the products I used,” he explained. “I would give testimonials, attend presentations and share my experience on stage.”
But unbeknownst to him and several other public speakers, there were clandestine dealings happening behind closed doors. “We later found out there were backdoor meetings that we were never aware of,” Benipayo added.
These meetings, as they learned, allegedly involved offering investments, activities Cepeda maintained he had no connection with.
The actor would spend a total of 11 months in detention, nine months in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, and another two in Quezon City. He described the time as grueling but survivable. “Honestly, it’s hard. It’s hard,” he admitted. “But it didn’t break me.”
A key part of what sustained him, he revealed, was the discipline instilled in him early on through training inspired by the Philippine Military Academy, courtesy of his father. “It felt like I was doing beast barracks training all over again,” he said.
Throughout the ordeal, the emotional weight of the situation was compounded by concern for his loved ones. “My biggest worry, Boy, was how this would affect them outside,” he shared.
Marina, ever present, visited him regularly — even making the long trip to Tuguegarao during the early months of his detention. “If I’m having a hard time, how much more him?” she said tearfully. “I wanted to be there with him.”
Despite the challenges, the couple stood firm in faith. “We’ve always felt there was a reason behind everything,” Ricardo said. “There’s a plan. It sounds cliché, but I believe it.”
In September of last year, Cepeda was finally released, putting an end to nearly a year of uncertainty and emotional strain. His reunion with Benipayo, he said, was not just a moment of relief, it was the affirmation of love that endured even in the face of public scrutiny and personal hardship.
Now back in the public eye, Cepeda is slowly reclaiming his life, emboldened by the lessons of resilience, family and quiet strength. And though his name was dragged into a controversy he insists he had no hand in, his story today is one not of scandal, but of survival.