The scuffle among the Barretto sisters which even President Rodrigo Duterte could not fix during the wake of their father exposed a longstanding feud within the family.
There had been no letup in Instagram posts of sisters Gretchen, Marjorie and Claudine as they publicly poured their emotion and explained their sides of the story.
Family patriarch Miguel Barretto, who was 82, passed away in the morning of October 15. The family held his wake at The Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City on October 18.
Way before their father’s death, Gretchen and Claudine were apparently able able to patch up their differences. Then at the wake, Gretchen also reconciled with their mother Estrella “Inday” Castelo Barretto.
But Gretchen and Claudine remained at odds with Marjorie.
What reports say
According to Philstar.com, the recent squabble started when Duterte, along with his former aide Sen. Bong Go, arrived at the wake.
There, Duterte asked Gretchen and Marjorie to shake hands for their late father. As the older one between then, Gretchen reached out to her sister but Marjorie declined.
Later, when Gretchen was having a conversation at one corner of the room, one of her nieces suddenly pushed her. This prompted the actress to retaliate and more people were caught in a scuffle.
The ensuing disorder surprised the president himself and the Presidential Security Group who was with him, according to entertainment blog Fashion Pulis. Duterte’s security aides had to step in to end the ruckus.
DzMM Teleradyo later reported that Claudine sustained an injury and was confined at St. Luke’s Hospital at Bonifacio Global City.
As of publication, there’s no official statement from the president concerning the incident.
Updates on social media
The scuffle at the wake did not just end in the hospital or when everyone was back in their homes. It was continued in some form—publicly—on social media.
Marjorie made a lengthy rant on Instagram accusing Gretchen of having another boyfriend aside from business tycoon Tony Cojuangco. She also claimed that Gretchen’s newer boyfriend is “powerful in a very bad way.”
She also claimed her family will be put to danger should she reveal “the truth.”
She also appealed to the public to hold off their criticisms as their family is still in mourning.
“Please hold your judgement and opinions until he is laid to rest, then we will for the first time speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I would like to ask for prayers too. Because when I speak the truth, my life and my children’s life will be put in danger,” she said.
Marjorie apologized to Duterte for witnessing their conflict.
Claudine then posted a cryptic quote: “Are you proud of who have become?”
Gretchen, meanwhile, shared video clips captured and forwarded to her a friend.
The clips were unfortunately too shaky and blurry to tell what was going on.
The loud voice being heard in the clips were Marjorie’s, Gretchen said in the caption. She also accused Marjorie’s boyfriend of “numerous molestation cases.”
She further alleged that Marjorie caused their father’s stroke.
“My mom spoke to me and assured everyone that she will tell all regarding our family feud and the day of my dad’s birthday and who caused my father’s attack,” part of her lengthy caption said.
Nicole, one of the nieces, and controversial gambler Atong Ang got involved in the social media feud when the former purported Gretchen “stole” Ang from her.
Ang clarified in a separate statement that Gretchen had nothing to do with his business relationships with Tony Boy Cojuangco, Nicole and Claudine.
When did it all start?
According to ABS-CBN, the rift started back in 2004 over a disagreement between ABS-CBN host Willie Revillame and Dennis Padilla, who was then the husband of Marjorie.
Padilla was allegedly upset that Revillame got asked to host a show on then Cojuangco-owned ABC-5.
Revilla and Padilla were both former hosts of “Magandang Tanghali Bayan,” a now-defunct noontime show of ABS-CBN.
In 2006, people noticed that Gretchen was absent at the wedding of Claudine and actor Raymart Santiago.
The sisters’ ties turned sour in 2013 when Julia, Marjorie’s daughter, became part of Star Magic.
Other family members publicly took sides days after. It ended when Miguel sided with Claudine—who was being rumored for taking illegal drugs—and scolded her siblings for bullying her. Claudine later took a drug test, which turned out negative.
Earlier this year, Claudine and Gretchen shared an Instagram video of them finally making amends with each other.
Nothing was heard again until July at the height of the rumors of an affair involving Julia and and fellow actor Gerald Anderson, who has long had a relationship with Bea Alonzo.
Gretchen joined the noise on social media and expressed her support for Alonzo. She also threw criticisms against Julia online.