Fashion PULIS

Saturday, December 21, 2013

He Kept on Burning Friendships

Image courtesy of www.ideal-hotels.com

Pretty Gay PG was the toast of the country after he won a big and prestigious contest. Suddenly, he was all over, appearing on television guestings, granting interviews – living the life of an accomplished celebrity.

PG's victory brought him not only fame and money but also friends, especially Rich Gay friends – something that PG allegedly gets excited about. Reportedly, these rich gays became his new friends after he became a major sensation.

Back then, not everyone knew that PG's climb to success was fought with much pain and struggle with family who could not accept, and almost disowned him. Fortunately, he had friends from his province, Real Friends RF who were with him from the very start when he was still a struggling nobody.

Reportedly, RF were the very people who helped him and gave him all the support, both moral and financial, so that he could join different gay contests in Manila. RF's knew how hard up PG was during those days, and they were the ones who pooled their resources so that PG would have nice costumes, gowns, transport fare to different contest venues.

When PG finally won that major contest, RF were the most ecstatic and happiest. PG thanked and acknowledged them for everything that they have done for him.

However, not long after, RF noticed that PG was slowly becoming detached towards them since. He was always not around when they would invite him for get-together or events. PG made no effort to reach out and reconnect. What hurt RF was that they felt PG was making them feel he no longer needed them.

Friends who were with him during his struggling days now feel dejected and unwelcome in PG's new world.

Reportedly, PG now prefers the company of RG - attending their parties and events, something he gets awed at many times. Seems like he likes their high society lives more than his old time RF in the province.

But if it was any consolation, one day, PG invited RF to Manila for dinner and catching up, and he set their date in a restaurant. RF excitedly went to the said venue and waited for PG. When they felt that PG was coming in late, they decided to order food already so they can eat while waiting for PG.

Alas, after hours of waiting, still no PG came. Turned out, PG would never really come – because he was busy socializing at a high-profile gay event with his "sosyal" gay amigas.

Meanwhile, the very disheartened RF had to dip into their pockets to pay for the dinner.

“When you choose your friends, don’t be short-changed by choosing personality over character.” ~ W. Somerset Maugham

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Claudine Barretto's Camp Mulls Libel Suit vs Gretchen Barretto

Image courtesy of www.abs-cbnnews.com

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Barretto mom 'in tears' over Gretchen's testimony

The camp of former TV star Claudine Barretto has threatened to sue her sister, actress Gretchen, over her supposedly libelous statements in relation to the younger Barretto's marital spat and their controversial family feud.

Speaking with ABS-CBN News' Marie Lozano on Friday, Claudine's legal counsel, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, said Gretchen should be "held to account" for her statements about her sister in her recent media interviews.

"Ms. Gretchen Barretto has been saying so many things that are libelous. I think it's about time she's held to account. Dapat panagutin na siya sa mga sinasabi niya," the lawyer said.

Topacio said he had already recommended the legal step to Claudine when Gretchen first went on the record with her allegations. But according to the lawyer, Claudine decided against it supposedly because she was concerned with how it may affect Gretchen's daughter.

"Alam niyo, sinabi ko na 'yan kay Ms. Claudine Barretto noon pang unang-unang nagpa-interview si Ms. Gretchen Barretto na sampahan na ng kaso, because na pe-prejudice 'yung kanyang kaso rito, 'yung mind ng public.

"Ang sabi ni Ms. Claudine Barretto sa akin, huwag daw sapagkat si Ms. Gretchen Barretto raw ay nasa London kasama ang kanyang anak na si Dominique. Baka daw ma-distract 'yung pag-aaral ni Dominique dahil may kaso ang kanyang ina," said Topacio.

"But now, I think it's about time that she's held to account," he added. "Dahil baka akala ni Ms. Gretchen Barretto na she's above the law because of her stature, because of her so-called sponsor. [She thinks] she can [flout] the law at walang consequence."

"We will show her that it is otherwise."

Gretchen's long-time partner, and the father of Dominique, is businessman Antonio "Tonyboy" Cojuangco, the former chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT).

Asked what cases they are specifically planning to file against Gretchen, Topacio said, "Huwag muna natin i-telegraph 'yung mga punches natin. Basta we will punch."

Gretchen's testimony

Gretchen's latest statements about Claudine was on Thursday, when she appeared as a witness in court for the younger Barretto's husband, actor Raymart Santiago, in cases involving the former couple.

The hearing, held at the Marikina Regional Trial Court, was for the consolidated cases of Claudine's petition for a protection order against Santiago, and their custody battle over their two children.

Claudine's petition for a protection order stems from her allegations of "physical, sexual, psychological and economic" against Santiago, which the actress detailed in an Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children (VAWC) case she filed against him in August. These alleged abuses, Claudine said, date back to 2002.

Before and after the hearing on Thursday, Gretchen granted interviews where she mentioned Claudine's alleged stint in a rehabilitation center, and her recommendation to give her sister the same treatment for her supposed condition.

Gretchen, in a published statement in October, said her sister is mentally ill and has a history of drug abuse. She said her family, at one point, had to conspire to have Claudine hospitalized for treatment.

Santiago made the same allegations in his counter-affidavit in the VAWC case, which included sworn statements from Gretchen and two other Barretto siblings, Majorie and JJ, supporting his claims.

According to Topacio, Barretto matriarch Inday was in tears over Gretchen and JJ testifying against Claudine, who is the youngest of seven siblings.

"Medyo naapektuhan ata siya sa nangyari. Ang sabi nga niya, assuming without conceding na may problema si Claudine, at kung talagang mahal mo 'yung kapatid mo, the way to show that love is not to go out in public and accuse her of so many things. E 'di lalong magkakaroon ng problema, 'yun ang sabi niya sa akin," the lawyer said.

"Umiiyak nga siya kanina, bago ako malabas sandali, nakausap namin si Mommy Inday," he added.

In her interview after the hearing on Thursday, Gretchen emphasized that she only gave her testimony in the case out of love and concern for her youngest sister.

'Distraught' Claudine

Asked when Claudine is planning to address her sister's public statements -- the court cases are under a gag order -- Topacio said, "She is quite distraught at present. Sabi ko huwag na muna. I will have to take it from here."

"She's really hurt that she was not given the chance to confront the witness against her. They are her own flesh and blood eh, so talagang masakit. Iba 'yung kalaban mo ang hindi mo kaano-ano eh, at iba 'yung kalaban mo 'yung taong minahal mo," the lawyer said.

Topacio also lamented that he was supposedly not given the opportunity to cross-examine Gretchen and JJ, who both took the witness stand on Thursday.

The lawyer explained that they had requested the Marikina RTC to move the hearing to a later date, citing his illness. Topacio said that on the day of the hearing, he was brought to the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa due to diarrhea and vomiting.

"Not only was there a valid reason para mag-postpone, which is my illness, but 'yung dalawang witness na inihain nila are vital witnesses. These are important witnesses.

"At kailangan ma-cross-examine -- hindi ko sinasabi na nagsisinungaling o hindi totoo 'yung sinasabi nila -- [dahil] the most effective method of finding out whether a witness is telling the truth or not is cross-examination. At iyon ang pinagkait sa amin," he said.

Topacio's associate, Atty. Ivy Cabatingan, represented Claudine in the court hearing on Thursday. Topacio noted that Cabatingan does not usually litigate.

'What threat?'

Meanwhile, Topacio denied Gretchen's allegations that her father, Miguel, threatened to kill her, JJ and Marjorie, if they show up in court and testify against Claudine.

"There are no such threats. If she believes there are threats, she has her remedies. She has her lawyers, magagaling ang mga abogado niya. Why does she not take the corresponding legal measures to protect herself, and to prosecute those na naggawa ng threat? Madaling magsabing may threat, but to substantiate it is another matter," he said.

The lawyer added that the Barretto patriarch is set to address Gretchen's accusation sometime next week, when he returns home from a trip in Subic.

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Friday, December 20, 2013

The Not So Generous Mom

Image courtesy of www.andyjbrown.wordpress.com

No matter how discreet their actions are, this mother and daughter team never fails to attract attention.

Mother Dear MD is a constant presence in the affairs of her Dear Daughter DD, especially in the major events of DD's career. It has come to a point that whenever DD is around, it is MD who people ask for first. More than DD, it is MD who is the major decision-maker in the family.

If at all DD makes her personal decision known, it is still subject for MD's approval – especially when it concerns anything financial.

The big calamity that the country had recently had most Filipinos here and abroad, celebrities or not, donated and gave so very generously to the calamity victims. Big celebrities, for whatever reasons, whether for publicity or not, gave their utmost best to help in every way they can. To this day, huge cash donations from big stars continue to overflow.

Whether it was peer pressure or otherwise, DD reportedly made a big cash donation for the typhoon Yolanda victims. Those within her circle were very happy with DD's gesture. But MD, who is not exactly known to be generous, raised hell upon learning this. She questioned DD and her handlers pointing out that there was no need for DD to donate that much since she already donated part of the proceeds of her concert to the same cause.

Thus, MD wanted to take back the huge donation justifying and believing that DD was already over-donating. To which she was told that taking back the donation was definitely out of the question, out of line. DD handlers know only too well where they were coming from, especially after knowing that a lesser star than DD gave millions bigger than what DD gave.

“Though a man without money is poor, a man with nothing but money is still poorer.” ~ Anonymous

'My Father Threatened to Kill Me' Says Gretchen Barretto

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Actress Gretchen Barretto said her father, Miguel Barretto, threatened to shoot her and two of her siblings when he supposedly learned of their plans to testify in court against their youngest sister Claudine.

Gretchen made the accusation as she spoke with reporters shortly before a hearing on a case involving Claudine and husband Raymart Santiago at the Marikina Regional Trial Court on Thursday.

The older Barretto actress, along with another sibling, JJ, gave their testimonies supporting Santiago's allegations against their sister in the closed-door hearing.

"Nandito ako, may takot, pero haharapin ko 'to dahil ito ang katotohanan," said Gretchen. "At least nandito kayo. Pag may mangyari, alam ninyo."

The actress' testimony is in relation Santiago's legal feud with Claudine, who accused of him "physical, sexual, psychological and economic" abuse supposedly dating back to 2002.

The former couple married in church rites in March 2006. They have two children -- an adopted daughter, Sabina, 9; and a biological son, Santino, 6.

Responding to Claudine's accusations, which were detailed in an Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children (VAWC) case in August, Santiago accused his wife of domestic violence, having a history of drug abuse, and being mentally ill.

The actor's statements were supported by accounts of Gretchen, along with two other Barretto siblings, Marjorie and JJ, in the same affidavit.

According to Santiago's legal counsel, Atty. Ruth Castello, the hearing on Thursday was specifically on the consolidated cases of Claudine's petition for a temporary protection order against her husband, and their custody battle over Sabina and Santino.

Shortly after the hearing, Gretchen was asked to detail her father's alleged threat against her. The actress said the Barretto patriarch learned of her plan to appear in court from her eldest sibling, Mito.

"Sinabihan ng daddy ko ang kapatid kong lalaki, ang pinakamatanda, at ang pamangkin ko na si John, na pag mag-testify daw si JJ, at nalaman niyang mag-te-testify si JJ, sabi niya babarilin niya," she said.

"At sinabi naman ng aking pamangkin na, 'Tita Gretch, Tita Marj will testify.' At sabi niya (Miguel Barretto), 'I will kill them.'"

Gretchen, in a published statement in October, detailed Claudine's alleged mental illness and drug use, and how their family supposedly conspired to have the youngest of seven siblings hospitalized for treatment.

The siblings' feud with their parents first went public in April, when their mother, Inday, released a statement saying she has disowned Gretchen in favor of Claudine.