Priscilla Meirelles confirms divorce with John Estrada: 'I fought for 14 years'
Priscilla Meirelles revealed that she and John Estrada have finalized their divorce.
In an interview with Boy Abunda on his talk show, the Miss Earth 2004 titleholder was asked about her relationship status with Estrada, to which she shared that they are "no longer married."
"Bilang isang foreigner, may karapatan ako to divorce my husband, so last year I went to Brazil, and I started the process of divorcing him. Actually, not last year, 2024," she said.
"I already went to Brazil, and I didn't announce to anyone because ayoko na magsalita ng mga bagay na hindi pa mapapatunayan. So, I wanted to be ready that when I open my mouth, it's a fact. So, I went to Brazil, I processed the papers that I needed to process, I left a power of attorney to my lawyer, to apply for divorce," she added.
Although she got married in the Philippines, Meirelles explained that she is still able to pursue divorce as she registered her marriage in Brazil.
"My marriage is both valid in the Philippines and Brazil. Pero being isang foreigner, I'm entitled, it's my right to divorce. Because in my country, divorce is allowed," she said.
Before deciding on divorce, the beauty queen shared that she first considered annulment.
"I did start the process of annulment, but I did not file kasi nangyari na ang pandemic. And then during that time, I couldn't file for divorce because my marriage was still not registered in Brazil."
On why her and Estrada's relationship got to this point, Meirelles opened up about how her feelings have changed towards their marriage.
"I don't see myself sharing a life with that person anymore. I fought for 14 years, and it got to a point where hindi ko na kaya and I realized after a lot of things that happened that the best thing for me is really to move forward mag-isa," she said.
John Estrada's reaction
Meirelles shared Estrada's reaction when he learned that she had filed for divorce.
"The first sentence he said, 'Pri, bakit ginawa mo 'yan?' And then sinasabi ko sa kanya, 'Because, as I've told you, I don't see myself sharing a life with you anymore and I don't think that there is any reason to stay married to you if I don't see myself with you as my partner, as my companion. I don't see a future with you,'" she recalled.
Meirelles said that while she wanted to build a future with him at first, "a lot of things happened" that caused their interests and values to no longer align.
"We're just chatting at home, so it doesn't make sense to me to be stuck in a relationship where you don't have much to share with that person and you don't see your future with that person," she said.
She continued, "I tried so many things to save the marriage. I tried to go to the church. We went to a psychiatrist. We went to couples therapy. I was in a position where my mindset was one, his mindset was different. I wanted to save my family and he was having fun."
However, Meirelles ultimately realized that she needed to get out of that situation as it wasn't doing her any good.
Despite their marriage coming to a close, she stressed that both she and Estrada love their 14-year-old daughter, Sammanta Anechka, very much.
Sammanta took the news maturely.
"She said, 'Mommy, it doesn't really matter if you stay with [daddy] or if you guys separate. What matters to me is that you're happy because that's what is important to me. To see you happy. So, if you think that's the best decision, I trust you,'" Meirelles said.
Alleged third party
When asked if there was a third party involved, Meirelles did not mince her words and revealed that Estrada had multiple mistresses.
"Ang dami nila eh. In the third. Fourth. Fifth. Sixth. Buong barangay ata eh," she quipped. "I'm always laughing about it because John has always had a very colorful life and a lot of people say that ang tanga-tanga ko dahil alam ko 'yung past niya."
"On my side naman, when I met John, we had a conversation that's just between me and him, and we've promised each other certain things. And never niya tinago 'yung past niya. Pero he promised me that he'll be a different man for me. Because he loved me to a point where nagbago siya," she added.
However, Meirelles claimed that Estrada did not change his ways.
"This is not the only reason why the marriage did not work. There is a lot of more elements. But ayaw ko ma-share yung bed ko sa buong barangay eh," she said.
John and Priscilla's troubled marriage
The couple, who got married on Feb. 26, 2011, have been separated since December 2024 amid rumors of Estrada's infidelity.
In 2023, Meirelles admitted their marriage was in trouble. Among the cryptic posts she made, the Brazilian former beauty queen asked her followers, "What to call a female that entertains [a] married man?" and "Married men/women who chase single boys/girls are seriously so pathetic!"
"I have been going through a rough time in my marriage for a while already for many reasons," Meirelles said in the same year.
Estrada, meanwhile, remained mum about the status of his relationship with his Meirelles. But the rumors persisted.
On July 14, 2024, Estrada posted on Instagram a series of photos of him at Henann Garden Boracay. Around the same time, a Facebook reel that went viral showed him at a club in Boracay with a mystery woman.
Shortly after, Estrada turned off comments on his post. He then posted a statement denying he was in a relationship with Hallman "or any other woman," and said they only met in Boracay. In the same statement, Estrada wrote he and Meirelles had mutually decided to take a break.
However, in her own clarification, posted on Instagram Stories, Meirelles said the decision was not mutually made.
In October, Estrada said in an interview with The Philippine STAR's Dolly Anne Cavajal that he is willing to work things out and marry Meirelles anew if she feels the same. He even referred to Meirelles as "the love of my life."
"I hope she will still be around when I'm done fighting my own demons," he said. "If and when Pri and I fix what needs to be fixed, I would be willing to remarry her if she wants to."