Transcript: Claudine Barretto's Tell-All 'Buzz' Interview

Image courtesy of www.abs-cbnews.com

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Actress Claudine Barretto finally broke her silence on Sunday, as she opened up about their family feud erupted last year, particularly her rift with sisters Gretchen and Marjorie.

In an exclusive interview with “Buzz ng Bayan” host Boy Abunda, Barretto also talked about her failed marriage to actor Raymart Santiago.

Boy Abunda (BA): First, bakit mo binabasag ang iyong katahimikan and why are you granting us this interview?

Claudine Barretto (CB): Ako at ang pamilya ko, my parents most especially, masyado na kaming bugbog sarado. We’ve been quiet for the longest time and hindi pa rin kami tinitigilan. Dumating sa point na parang ...ano ba, pababayaan na lang natin na husgahan tayo ng tao dahil pinoprotektahan pa rin natin 'yung mga taong hindi dapat protektahan na? O isipin naman natin 'yung sarili natin and let’s go and tell the truth?

BA: Clau, kung merong mga katanungan akong maitanong ngayon sa ating pag-uusap na sa tingin mo ay hindi karapat dapat sagutin, I would totally understand and I would respect you if you decide not to answer. If there are questions that you think are violating some court orders, just tell me so I would not ask a question.

May nagpadala ng ambulansya sa iyong bahay? What is your side of the story?

CB: Nagpadala siya ng ambulansya sa bahay ko, sa bahay namin ni Raymart (Santiago) -- Raymart was not home then – with a pediatrician. I was with my best friend and some other friends, we were eating.

BA: The pedia was not known to you? Basta dumating na lang?

CB: Kilala ko, pediatrician ‘to ni Gretchen. Pumunta ako sa gate nga, nakita ko nandoon si Marjorie, nandoon si Gretchen paglabas ko. Sabi ni Gretchen, ‘Can I please go in?’ And since kapatid ko naman siya, kahit hindi kami okay, pinapasok ko. Kasi I didn’t know what this was all about, bakit dumating si Marjorie, akala ko dadalawin lang ako. Tapos lumabas sila. And then pagpasok nila ulit, later dumating na 'yung pediatrician with the ambulance and I think there were eight men inside.

I asked my sister, I asked Gretchen, ‘What is this?’ Nakita ko kasi may straitjackets itong mga ito eh. And then I said, ‘What are you gonna get me for?’ She just looked at her doctor and she said, ‘Do something!’ I knew my rights, she was trespassing. Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Saan, sa drug addiction or sa mental illness?’ Kasi hindi ko alam. Hindi ko alam. And then sabi niya ‘Basta doc, nag-overdose iyan.’

BA: Clau, puntahan ko lang 'yung kanina na sinabi mo. Ano ba ito, is this about mental illness?

CB: I think it’s mental torture. According to my psychiatrist, it’s mental torture.

BA: Are you hurt, are you angry when there is this imputation na meron kang mental illness? Nagagalit ka?

CB: Yes. For a while I was angry, I was hurt, even depressed, I guess. But nung nakikita kong nagse-self destruct na siya, naaawa na ako sa kanya kasi napakasinungaling na. Parang, see that what happens kapag nagse-self-destruct.

BA: Pagdating naman doon sa sinasabing mental illness na diumano’y she’s lost it, you are denying this? Because you are saying it’s mental torture…

CB: Yes. Iba 'yung mental illness sa mental torture. I was diagnosed with Battered Wife Syndrome and it’s… mahirap 'yung mga pinagdaanan ko. Maraming lies, maraming deceits, maraming pagtatraydor. Sinasabi niyo na I’m not fit as a mother, and all that, but my children are doing well in school. And then my sisters and brothers will witness against me tapos nasa Instagram sila nag-Christmas party. Everything that will try to hurt and destroy me, they will do.

They drew first blood and they were accusing me of so many things. I just kept quiet the whole time. They were just bullying and bullying, they did not stop. Ganito ba dapat ang ugali ng mga ate? Let’s say for example, if I’m mentally ill, lalong nakakasira ng ulo 'yung ginagawa nila. Anything that will put me down… Nakadapa na, tatapakan mo pa, duduraan ka pa.

Gretchen knows this. She’s heartless. She has no heart. What do you expect? If you cannot respect your parents and make stories about your parents? I’m not going to allow her to destroy my parents’ name anymore. Stop using our name.

And also, isa pang pakiusap ko kay Gretchen, any question about me, stop answering. I don’t want to be affiliated with you because you are a shame to this family. I want you to stay away from me and my children. I want to know, at the end of the day Gretchen, ano ba ang goal mo? Up to where? When are you going to stop? You say you’re happy? I don’t see that. With your face all botoxed and all, I don’t see that.

On Gretchen Barretto appearing before court in support of Raymart Santiago

CB: She was never summoned by the court. Actually in an interview, Raymart said na, ‘Hindi ko naman sila pinatawag, sila mismo ang nag-volunteer. Si Marjorie, si Gretchen at si JJ.’ Sila ang nag-volunteer. Sinasabi niya brothers, sisters. Ang sinasabi ko, ‘Talaga?’ Kelan lang sila naging okay ni Mito. Years silang naging magkaaway. So ang sinasabi niya, ilan lang. Stop exaggerating.

The day that she started talking bad about my kids on the phone, on speaker and Raymart was there. Raymart, bahala na siya sa Diyos niya. He was there when Gretchen started calling my children names. When she said na, ‘Wala ka ng career, baboy ka, lechon, wala ka ng power.’ Sabi niya, ‘You will never be back in this industry. Magpakamatay ka na lang, Claudine.’ You know, Gretchen, you swear on your child’s life if you did not say that. I dare you, because you are such a liar.

On court finding probable cause in her VAWCC complaint

BA: Sa lahat ng pag-uusap na may kinalaman kay Raymart, there is this mention about a CCTV. Tell me what you can. Tell me what is allowed to be told.

CB: I don’t know if it’s allowed. Pero dahil sa mga ninakaw niyang mga gamit namin, mga luggage na LV, may initials na CB. So paano namang si Raymart ang may initials na CB? At saka 'yung paintings sa bahay. Nakuhanan ng CCTV 'yun. May conspiracy sa bahay namin to put our lives in danger also.

BA: Talk about what happened last night. Somebody told me… I mean, talking about danger.

CB: My mom doesn’t know. Is my mom there?

I was at the balcony and 'yung vacant lot na katabi namin, may nagpaputok. Hindi ako natamaan. Tatlong putok muna, sunod dumapa ako. Yung isa, six shots. Tumama lang siya sa glass namin, sa chairs, sa balcony. That was the fourth attempt na.

On robbery filed against her by former house helps

CB: Raymart witnessed for them against me para maipit ako.

BA: How do you feel na umusad ang kasong robbery laban sa 'yo?

CB: Mahirap talaga ang justice sa Pilipinas. Mahirap talaga kalaban ang maraming pera.

Regrets about her marriage to Raymart Santiago

BA: Regrets?

CB: Na pinakasalan ko ulit si Raymart nung March 27, 2006 dahil hindi lang ako 'yung nilinlang niya kundi ang buong sambayanang Pilipino because hindi pasok yun eh, it was fake.

BA: The marriage? Why?

CB: I don’t know, hindi niya lang pinasok. Just like our first one in Isabela on May 2, 2004. It was registered 2006, a month before the March [wedding]. Hindi pala kami kasal the whole time. We were living in pala, living in sin. So ganun pala niya ako niloko ng sobra. Ang mali ko doon is that I should have backed out na.

Pinasok niya 'yung Isabela na kasal namin, late registration. Pinasok niya ng February 24, 2006 yata tapos 'yung kasal namin March 27, 2006. Nakakahiya mag-back out.

On tiff with Marjorie Barretto

CB: Sa lahat lahat ng tao, kay Marjorie ako pinakagalit kasi pinag-away kami ni Gretchen eh. I said some painful things to my sister which I will forever regret. I always made life easy for my sister, for Marjorie. But she killed me the day na tinanggal niya yung karapatan ko to see my nieces na pinalaki ko. Nakalimutan niya ako, 'yung ako talaga.

BA: Does she know this?

CB: I don’t know [if she knows this] and I don’t know her anymore. You know, I grieved for her. Pinatay ko na siya sa buhay ko. I would never ever do anything to hurt my nieces.
Proud of niece Julia Barretto

BA: Julia is doing very, very well. She’s watching. What do you want to tell her?

CB: That I love her so much, so so much.

BA: Idol ka daw niya pagdating sa pag-arte?

CB: Siya naman ang susunod sa trono ko eh. Matagal ko nang sinabi 'yun. I just pray that they don’t forget, Dani, Julia and Claui, Leon. I’m so proud of her. I want to let them know that I tried so much during their birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s. I tried my best, I couldn’t get through.

On rumors that she’s a gambler

BA: There were also talks about Claudine Barretto nagsusugal?

CB: I don’t know how to play kahit slot machine. I’ve been to the casino, yes. I know Atong Ang, yes. He’s my friend. Pero hindi kami naging kami. Hindi ko siya naging boyfriend. I never had an affair with him.

On new boyfriend?

BA: Somebody showed me a post of you with Mark. Who’s this? Mark Anthony?

CB: He’s my stylist. He’s one of my stylists. Nag-thank you lang ako at nag-I love you. Ma-I love you naman akong tao talaga. 'Yun lang naman 'yun.

BA: What are you hoping for?

CB: So many things. That I’m gonna rise above all of this. When you have two kids who are doing really well in school, parang feeling ko – and they are really good kids ah. My children are really, really good talaga and they are excelling in school, straight A students. I don’t know, I’m just so blessed talaga. I just look at them and I say na parang nakakahiya na ipakita na hindi tumayo agad para sa mga anak ko. Sana pagbigyan ako ng tao na to be the mom that I want to be, that God wants me to be.

BA: Can I listen to your prayer? If you were to pray now, how would it sound?

CB: That no weapon formed against us will ever prosper. Sana maintindihan ng mga tao na it’s not okay to destroy people’s lives and it’s not okay to have a crushed spirit.

BA: Maraming salamat Claudine and Happy Mother’s Day.

CB: Thank you.