Eumir Marcial speaks out on wife’s allegations of cheating, abuse
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of abuse.
Eumir Marcial has broken his silence about his wife’s accusations that he abused her and cheated on her with another woman.
Speaking with local media, the Olympian denied Princess Marcial’s allegations against him and noted that their relationship has been on the rocks for a while now.
"Kung sinasaktan ko siya, do you think na ganun lang 'yung mangyayari sa kanya? Mayroon siyang pasa sa paa, mayroon siyang ganito. Aksidenteng nangyari 'yun dahil pinoprotektahan ko 'yung sarili ko kaya nangyari ‘yun," he said, as seen in a video shared by local outlet 89.9 Brigada Zamboanga.
Eumir claimed that their marriage has been in trouble lately. "Hindi na maayos 'yung relasyon [namin] dahil parati kaming nagaaway, parati niya akong sinasaktan,” he said, noting that even her friends and family know it. "Kung dumating man kami sa punto ngayon, alam nila na mangyayari ito dahil sa ugali niya.”
The athlete detailed that Princess saw him with another woman months ago and said that he was only with his alleged mistress to return her wallet that she left in his car. "'Yung babae na nakita nila sa picture, kaibigan ko 'yun na isang beses na pinuntahan ko kasi taga-Zamboanga siya eh. Nagkita kami sa Makati, taga-Zamboanga pala, nagkakilala, nag-usap, and then 'yun, nagsama. Actually, nung nagsama kami, may kasama siyang kaibigan, may kasama din ako."
As seen in another video shared by local media outlet RPM Zamboanga, which was also reposted by Princess on her Facebook page, Eumir said the cheating speculations started when his wife saw his alleged mistress' wallet in his car. "Doon nagsimula lahat—'yung paghihinala niya, ginawan na niya ng storya, 'may babae' ako, cinontact na nila 'yung babae, inaway nila. So 'yung babae, kinausap sila at gusto kunin 'yung wallet, so pumunta ng Maynila para kunin 'yung wallet," he shared.
Eumir recalled insisting on helping his alleged mistress get her wallet back. "Ako, nag-insist ako na tulungan ko siya, puntahan ko siya. Nung time na 'yun, nagbook siya ng hotel sa condo, pinuntahan ko siya doon. Actually, inabutan kami, 12 p.m., hapon na, so pinuntahan ko siya, 'yun pala, sinusundan na niya ako kasi nga may pagdududa na siya. So pinuntahan ko 'yung babae para kunin 'yung wallet niya. Doon kami inabutan na wala namang ginagawa, naguusap naman kami."
"Hindi naman inabot na nakahubad o may ginagawa kami doon," he noted.
"Walang nangyayari na pagtataksil dahil pumunta siya doon sa amin na hindi naman niya kami hinabol na nakapatong o may ginagawang bagay," he also stressed.
The Olympian denied Princess' claim that he drained their savings and "used the money to construct a house for him and his mistress in Zamboanga."
"Unang una, 'yung joint account namin, nasa kanya. Hawak niya ngayon. 'Yung lahat ng titulo ng bahay namin sa Maynila, 'yung mga property namin, nasa kanya," he emphasized. "At 'yung sinasabi niyang pinapatayuan ko ng bahay 'yung babae, hindi 'yun totoo. Mismo ngang tatay ko, magulang ko, hindi ko mapatayuan ng bahay."
Eumir claimed that she already called it quits with Princess before he was seen with his alleged other woman. "Maayos akong nakipaghiwalay sa kanya. Maayos akong nagsabi sa kanya na i-settle natin ito. Kung ano 'yung property na mayroon ako sa Maynila, hatiin namin, ayusin namin ito," he shared.
He went on to question his wife's motives for airing their dirty laundry in public. "Bakit niya gustong dalhin pa dito sa media? Gusto pa niya kumuha ng simpatya sa taumbayan na niloko siya, sinaktan sya, gumawa pa ng story. Lahat ng sinabi niya sa report, sa social media, hindi totoo."
Eumir's wife denies his claim that they broke up before his alleged affair
In a post after Eumir's interview with members of the press, Princess detailed how she caught him allegedly cheating on her, starting her post with, "Matagal na daw hindi nagsasama at matagal na daw [kami] wala."
She said that they were together during the AFP Olympics at Navy Gym on Oct. 18 to support their friends. "Kinagabihan, nag-inuman pa kaming lahat at nagkasiyahan kasama mga dati niyang kasamahan at mga asawa," she wrote.
Princess alleged that she found his alleged mistress' wallet in the morning of Oct. 22. "Nahuli at nakita ko ang wallet sa bag niya. The whole time, ako may hawak sa wallet ng kabit kaya ako nakapasok sa condo kung saan sila. At ako at ang ate ko ang nagsurrender sa wallet ng kabit sa mga pulis after nila ma-aresto sa Pasay," she said.
According to her, she "caught [him] in the act" on Oct. 24.
Princess, in another post, said that even she got confused with his statement.
"Pati ako nalito na sa statement mo. Puwede na pala makitulog as a friend? Super helpful naman ng asawa ko. Nakakaproud," she wrote. "Paano mo isasauli ang wallet eh [kami] ng kapatid ko may hawak at ako mismo nagsurrender sa Pasay Police Station pagka-aresto ninyo? Kaya nga ako nakapasok sa condo dahil sa wallet ng kabit mo!"
Cheating, abuse allegations
The couple became a hot topic online on Jan. 10 after Princess revealed that she's taking legal action against Eumir for alleged infidelity, manipulation, and abuse against her.
"I caught Eumir having an affair in October last year. I, along with my sister, have personally caught them inside an Airbnb condominium in Pasay where we had them both arrested at a police station," she claimed, adding that Eumir and his alleged mistress both had to be temporarily detained for five days.
Princess said he gave Eumir "multiple chances to make amends with our marriage" and permitted his release by signing an affidavit of desistance. She added that the athlete's alleged mistress also signed the compromise agreement "thinking Eumir would take this chance to correct his mistake and do better."
However, Princess claimed Eumir continued to manipulate her after the incident as the athlete still supposedly fostered a "sickening love affair" with his alleged mistress from his hometown in Zamboanga City.
She explained that she could release evidence they have gathered to the public, but assured that they will be submitted to the court who will then determine the outcome of the case.
"For these obvious reasons, I had to go on separate ways with Eumir and severed all sources of communication with him after all the trauma, manipulation, emotional stress, physical abuse, and psychological torment that I had to endure these past few months and throughout our years of being together," Princess said.
She opened up that she doesn't think that she "can ever survive the pain," but she hopes that by speaking up, she would be able to "help other women who may have been suffering in silence" and be given the "strength to continue in fighting for what is right."
The two tied the knot in 2021 after being together for nine years. Their wedding took place a year after the boxer achieved a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
Eumir previously competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but ended his journey without getting the gold after he lost to Turabek Khabibullaev of Uzbekistan via unanimous decision in the 16th round of the men's 80kg division.
