Actress Marina Benipayo is seeking prayers and support for her partner, Ricardo Cepeda, who has been receiving negative comments online after his arrest.
The actor was apprehended in Caloocan City last Saturday, Oct. 7, for his alleged involvement in syndicated estafa.
Meanwhile, Marina posted a video on her TikTok account, asking for prayers during their challenging time.
@marina_benipayo No hate, please. Just prayers. #NoHate #life ♬ original sound – Marina Benipayo
She said, “All we really need now are prayers, nothing else. ‘Yun lang po.”
Marina also called out content creators and netizens who have been leaving negative comments about their situation.
“’Di yata tama ‘yun e. Naantala ‘yung ginagawa namin sa araw-araw dahil sa nangyari. Kami po, nagsusumikap lang po kami while at the same time, trying to help as much people as we can dahil alam po namin ang pakiramdam ng paghihirap. Alam namin ‘yun e,” she stated.
The actress also addressed comments suggesting that their current situation was due to their lifestyle which she clarified, saying they lead a simple life and are not “high maintenance.”
“We don’t have expensive clothes; we make the most of what we have. Sometimes that’s what I teach—you make the most of what you have,” Marina remarked.
She further explained, “Pero kahit ano pang gawin namin, low-key na nga kami, hindi rin kami lumalabas, wala, ganun pa rin ang nangyari.”
Marina also reminded netizens about their responsibilities with their comments online.
“And dun sa content creator, dahil ikaw ang nag-post, you’re also responsible for lahat ng comment na lalabas and reactions,” she said.
Ricardo is popularly known for his antagonist roles on television and in films, and Marina mentioned that some comments compared her partner to the characters he portrays.
“Nata-target si Ricardo dahil sa characters na pino-portray niya sa TV, or ‘yung sa tingin ng ibang tao ganun kami, hindi po. Sana po matuto po tayo to discern what is the truth,” she said.
Marina expressed hope that netizens would learn to post articles, comments, or videos that offer support or prayers instead of criticism.
Towards the end of the video, Marina shared a brief message from her son, Mark De Sequera, who had defended Ricardo, pointing out that he was “wrongfully accused”.
In the message, it was explained that Ricardo was merely a product endorser and brand ambassador, not a part of the company’s investment schemes, and his name did not appear on any official documents related to them.
