After months of speculation about their relationship, actor Elijah Canlas has confirmed that he and actress-host Miles Ocampo have ended their five-year relationship.
In an interview with Ogie Diaz, Elijah explained that he had chosen to keep their breakup private out of respect for Miles but felt the need to address the rumors surrounding their split.
“As much as I’ve been trying to keep it private and syempre we’re and I’m going through it pero dahil lumalabas na lahat, it’s time for me to say na opo, Tito Og and out of respect kay Miles. I will always love her, pero kailangan sabihin na lang din itong pinagdaanan ko, itong pinagdaanan namin,” Elijah said.
“We broke up mutually and very amicably. Walang hate, at least on my part,” he stated.
While he chose not to disclose the reason behind their separation, Elijah revealed that they had tried to work things out for a second time before eventually realizing that their relationship was no longer working.
“Masakit yung ganoong klase na mutual na wala naman talaga problema pero narealize niyo lang na baka hindi talaga match. I do not want to get into full details out of respect for her and our relationship. Ayon po yung totoo,” Elijah said.
According to Elijah, ending their five-year relationship was a decision they made together as adults. “Binigay namin lahat, Mama Og. It was a mutual decision. It wasn’t just me. It was her also. Nandoon kami sa point na umiiyak lang kami saying thank you to each other for the past five years na mga pinagdaanan namin. Masakit yung ganoon pero nagdecide kami as adults, you know, to seperate, to break up. We have to respect that kasi decision namin iyon. We made that decision together.”
“Habang buhay ko siyang mamahalin. Habang buhay ko siyang rerespetuhin,” he said.
Although they remain on good terms, Elijah admitted that they are currently not in communication as they both take time to heal. “For a couple of weeks, mga first month we were still texting. But right now, wala na po. I guess it’s harder to move on to talaga if you are still talking to someone you are moving on to. Right now, wala nang contact. Sana one of these days maging comfortable na kami, maging magkaibigan ulit.”
He also said that he is open to be friends with Miles again in the future: “I’ll be open to it. The love has always been there for you and she’s a great great person. I love that, pero iba pa yung panahon ngayon and we need time to heal.”
Meanwhile, Elijah addressed rumors that a third party was involved in their breakup, firmly denying the speculation. “It’s not true. Miles would know, it’s not true. People close to us would know that it’s not true. There’s no party involved. Walang ganoon talaga ever. Pero I do not want to come out defensive kasi kaya even when press people ask, I try not to say that because I do not want to come off defensive.”
“Sobrang mahal na mahal ko po iyon and naexperience ko na po iyon na maganoon at lalong hinding hindi ko po magagawa iyon sa kaniya,” Elijah maintained.
He also admitted getting hurt from the speculations and also asked the public to respect their decision as a couple and individuals. “Ang dami naming pinagdaanan and ang hirap na i-minimize lang iyon sa break up na ganito at speculations na ganito at ganiyan. It is much more than that. Kaming dalawa lang nakakaalam talaga noon. Sana po respetuhin ng mga tao iyon. Sana go easy on Miles, go easy on me and let us heal.”
He also clarified a video linking him to actress Thea Astley from a trip to La Union that circulated online. “Out of respect kay Miles and kay Thea, I guess kailangan ko sabihin na OA ng mga tao. They made a mountain out of a molehill. There was no molehill to begin with. Thea and I are just friends. I've been friends for a while and it wasn't just the two of us in LU. We were with other friend. Hindi ko siya hinawakan sa kamay. Inusod ko lang siya for a picture.”
“People blew it out of proportion. That was really unfair for me, unfair to Thea, unfair to Miles, unfair to everybody involved,” Elijah said.
For now, Elijah said he is focusing on himself and his career rather than entering a new relationship. “Right now, I’m focused on work. I’m focused on myself. I was in a relationship for five years. That’s a long time of my life and those five years, I don’t regret any of it. Those were the best five years of my life. So parang it would be a dishonor to myself even, to my heart to just jump into a straight relationship agad.”