Ricci Rivero (YouTube)

Basketball player Ricci Rivero has opened up about his breakup with Kapamilya star Andrea Brillantes.

Ricci confirmed the split during an appearance in "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda" on GMA Network on Monday, June 26.

"The main reason kung bakit ako nag-speak up is because of my family.  Kung ako lang naman po walang problema. Sanay naman ako na maraming kwento and accusations and everything. Kung ako kaya kong tanggapin kasi alam ko naman ang hindi tutoo.

"Pero pag sa family ko, siguro it's time for me to speak up and kailangan ko silang protektahan sa mga issues na ganito.

"So kung ako ok lang pero wag lang yung pamilya ko," Ricci said.

The athlete said that they called it quits sometime in May.

"It was in April when we took a little break from each other and siguro kailangan lang ng breather. Then yung breakup noong first week of May talaga.

Andrea Brillantes (Facebook)

"Marami na rin kaming sinusubukang ayusin na problema personally. Siguro doon lang sa we are na isa't isa rin. Marami naman siyang puwedeng factor could be both yung maturity namin pareho, pwedeng ganun. For whatever reason lang. May inaayos lang kami para sa normal na relationship," he added.

Ricci said that the cause of the split was the female guest who Andrea saw in his condo unit.

It was Andrea who took the viral video of the female guest, Ricci also said.

"Ang cause ng breakup namin is yung speculation na kumakalat sa social media na may nakita soyang girl doon sa place ko. Ilang beses na namin itong pinag-usapan as is sobrang daming beses na sinabi ko sa kanya with all the evidence I have kasi may conversations even with my friends na hindi po sa akin yung girl. May papunta akong friend na midnight or madaling araw. Tapos hindi ko naman alam na may kasama siya. Tapos yun ang inabutan niya that time.

"Alam ko na naniniwala siya sa akin kasi even after that naguusap pa rin kami, nagkikita pa rin kami. Maayos naman kami na usual us. Walang away, walang taasan ng boses, walang anything," he added.

Andrea and Ricci became an official couple during a UAAP game in April 2022.

Earlier this month, Ricci addressed the breakup rumors as he accepted his mistakes in a tweet.

Councilor Leren Mae Bautista of Laguna

"I own up to the mistake of not making my relationship status public because I felt there’s no need to add up to what were going through.

"Please respect our decision to keep it to ourselves so that we can preserve whats left of our friendship. I hope let’s stop creating your own versions and dragging other characters into these false accusations.

"I am sorry for whatever disappointments it may have caused you - for everyone’s peace of mind, please allow ourselves to heal and move on peacefully without hate and pain."

Ricci also denied rumors that former beauty queen Councilor Leren Mae Bautista caused the breakup. "Walang kinalaman dito si Councilor Leren."

Andrea has not issued any statements on the status of her relationship with Ricci.

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