Former actress Marjorie Barretto has publicly expressed her distress and disappointment over comments made by her mother, Estrella “Inday” Barretto, in a recent two-part interview with showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz. Marjorie’s reaction comes amidst a period of family mourning following the death of their eldest sibling, Mito, last month, leading her to question the necessity and timing of the public exposé.
The Mother’s Claims: Inday’s Perspective on Marjorie
The second portion of Inday Barretto’s interview primarily focused on her relationships with her daughters, Marjorie, Claudine, and Gretchen, and their infamous feuds.
Key points from Inday’s statements about Marjorie:
Rejection and Need for Attention: Inday described Marjorie as “strong-willed” and claimed she “feels rejection” from her, stating that she always feels the need to “make her habol (chase).”
Feeling Insufficient: Inday lamented feeling like she is “not enough” for Marjorie.
Lack of Invitations: The matriarch claimed that Marjorie never invites her to family events.
The Family Feud: Inday briefly discussed the public feud between Gretchen and Marjorie, which peaked during the 2019 funeral of the Barretto patriarch, Miguel. Inday recalled the tense atmosphere when Gretchen arrived, claiming Marjorie’s family was “lined up ready for war.”
Gretchen’s Gift: Inday notably claimed that no one in Marjorie’s family accompanied her van during Claudia’s (Marjorie’s daughter) wedding because the vehicle was a gift from Gretchen.
No Favorites: Inday asserted that she never played favorites, stating, “I love Marjorie pero I’m not going to beg for her love.”
Marjorie’s Rebuttal and “Damage Control” Mission
Marjorie took to Instagram to directly address her mother’s comments, viewing the interview as a calculated attack during a vulnerable time for the family.
Marjorie’s main points of clarification and defense:
Questionable Timing: She expressed shock that her mother chose to air these grievances while the family is still grieving Mito’s death.
“The Mission: Destroy Marjorie”: Marjorie accused the interview of being a deliberate effort at “Damage control” with the mission to “Destroy Marjorie — to make the youngest child look good and clean.”
Disproving Claims: She refuted the claim that they are not on good terms, pointing out that they have been spending time together for her late brother. She also noted that her Instagram posts feature photos of her family, including her mother, directly contradicting the claim that she doesn’t send invitations out of embarrassment.
A Serious Revelation: Marjorie made a bold claim against her mother, stating, “Mom, as God is my witness, you begged me to never fix things with my sisters so you won’t be left out.”
Acceptance and Surrender: While affirming her love, Marjorie admitted, “I have learned to accept whatever kind of love you can give me. In fact, I have surrendered to it.” She vowed to focus her energy on being the best mother to her children, rather than seeking affection and protection from her mother.
A Public Ache: She concluded by explaining her need to speak out: “When someone close to you distorts the truth in a very public way, it creates an ache that my silence cannot hold anymore.”
Family Support and Initial Controversy
Raymart Santiago’s Denouncement: The first part of Inday’s interview, where she claimed Raymart Santiago abused her youngest daughter, Claudine, prompted Raymart to release both a legal and a personal statement denouncing the allegations.
Children’s Support: Marjorie received immediate public support from her children, Julia, Dani, and Leon, as well as several celebrity friends, in the comments section of her Instagram post.
The current public airing of the family’s deep-seated conflicts has once again drawn sharp attention to the complicated dynamics among the Barretto sisters and their matriarch.