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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Controversy always seems to hound the Barretto family, even as they mourn the loss of their family patriarch Miguel Alvir Barretto, who died on October 15.
Two of Miguel’s daughters, Gretchen and Marjorie, have spoken up regarding reports that they were involved in an altercation at their father’s wake on October 16, the day Gretchen attended.
Eyewitnesses said that the two got into a spat when they were asked to shake hands by President Rodrigo Duterte, who attended the wake on the same day. Gretchen reportedly tried to oblige, but Marjorie refused.
Later on, according to eyewitnesses, Gretchen was also involved in another altercation with one of her nieces, who lunged at her while she was talking to friends. Gretchen then grabbed her niece by the hair. Their fight reportedly had to be broken up by members of the Presidential Security Group.
Gretchen later addressed the reports, saying in a statement to ABS-CBN News: “It was all very nice until Marjorie had a nervous breakdown.”
The following day, on October 17, their youngest sister Claudine – who has been publicly affectionate to Gretchen since they reconciled earlier in the year – was reportedly hospitalized after allegedly getting into a fight with Marjorie.
DZMM TeleRadyo shared a photo of Claudine on a hospital bed at St. Luke’s BGC, citing Gretchen as the source.
According to ABS-CBN News, Claudine was reportedly brought to the hospital by one of Gretchen’s staff members, Ruby Baguhin, who said that Claudine was attacked by Marjorie, and that Marjorie’s daughter Julia was involved in the confrontation.
Claudine later shared a cryptic post on Instagram, posting a photo that said “Are you proud of who you have become?” and writing in the caption: “I hope not.”
On October 18, Marjorie addressed their family’s recent controversies, posting an image on Instagram that read “Narcissists try to destroy your life with lies because theirs can be destroyed with the truth.”
In the caption she wrote: “There are very disturbing news going around right now. All these years, I have kept my peace and I always chose to ignore all the LIES that my sisters spread about me and my children. But nothing can get lower than this. Giving false statements to the press, and twisting stories about what really happened in my Father’s wake is by far the most epic one. They have tried so hard over the years to destroy my name, I have nothing to lose anymore at this point.”
Marjorie said that she is “all for reconciliation,” and that they were hoping that “she,” presumably Gretchen, would have made her peace privately “with no cameras” in their father’s hospital room over the 16 days that he was hospitalized.
“Don’t be fooled by the statements of my sisters, they are leaving out a very important detail of what really caused pain and tension in the wake,” she said.
Marjorie asked the public to suspend their judgments for now and allow their family to grieve on the last day of Miguel’s wake.
“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,” she said.
She also asked for prayers, saying that coming out with the truth will put her life and her children’s lives in danger.
“My sister’s boyfriend is powerful in a very bad way (and I don’t mean Tony Boy). And in speaking the truth I won’t be able to leave his name out,” she said.
The “Tony Boy” Marjorie ruled out is businessman Tony Boy Cojuangco, Gretchen’s long-time partner.
She ended her post by extending apologies to Duterte, thanking him for attending the wake and condoling with their family.
“My apologies that your name was dragged into this. You were so kind to me. I will always be grateful,” she said.
Gretchen hit back at Marjorie’s statements with an Instagram post of her own, addressing her sister as “Marjorie Baldivia este Echiverrie [sic],” referring to Marjorie’s rumored relationship with former Caloocan mayor Recom Echiverri.
“ITS A BITTERSWEET FEELING THAT YOU, truly for the first time speak the Truth, IN OTHER WORDS, I AM GRATEFUL for WE WILL ALL WAIT FOR THAT TIME,” she said.
The post included two videos from the wake. The video was mostly taken from a low angle so the people in the video can’t be identified for sure, but as it plays on, it shows a commotion arising during the wake.
“This video IS NOT FAKE NEWS AS BEING CLAIMED by Marjorie Baldivia Echiverrie,” Gretchen said. She added that her mother spoke to her and assured everyone that “SHE WILL TELL ALL REGARDING OUR FAMILY FUED [sic] & THE DAY OF MY DADS BIRTHDAY & Who CAUSED MY FATHERS ATTACK.”
She also said that the boyfriend Marjorie referred to in her post “IS POWERFUL in a good way, Not bad as you claimed.”
She went on to hit Marjorie’s boyfriend, presumably Echiverri, saying he is “also POWERFUL & certainly IN A VERY BAD WAY.”
“Countless corruption cases i was told, NOT TO MENTION, NUMEROUS MOLESTATION CASES , AM I CORRECT?”
“I WAS INFORMED THAT [Claudine] WILL FILE A MOLESTATION CASE AGAINST YOUR POWERFUL BOYFRIEND. ONLY REQUEST OF [Claudine] IS FOR HIM TO NOT BE IN THE WAKE DUE TO TRAUMA,” she said.
Gretchen has been estranged from several of her family members for years, and only recently reconciled with Claudine earlier in the year.
Even after patching things up with Claudine, Gretchen said that she doesn’t see the same thing happening with Marjorie anytime soon.
Gretchen has also put herself at odds with Marjorie’s children. In March, Gretchen defended Kier Legaspi, the estranged father of Marjorie’s firstborn, Dani, in response to a vlog Dani made explaining why she wanted her mother, and not her father to walk her down the aisle.
Gretchen also publicly supported Bea Alonzo, who was confronted online by Marjorie’s second daughter Julia, for supposedly fuelling the hatred she received for being painted as the third-party in Bea’s breakup with ex-boyfriend Gerald Anderson. – Rappler.com
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