In what can only be described as a political and emotional rollercoaster for the Barretto family, Claudia Barretto — the youngest of the Barretto-Barretto political mix — is now at the center of a netizen backlash after both her parents, Dennis Padilla and Marjorie Barretto, reportedly lost their bids for local council positions.

What was supposed to be a time of quiet support has now turned into a heated online debate, with Claudia being “called out” and questioned by netizens for what they say was a lack of public support for her parents during the campaign.

THE BARRETTO SPLIT: DIVIDED EVEN IN POLITICS?

The already complicated relationship between Dennis and Marjorie has been a hot topic in showbiz circles for years. But now, with both of them entering politics — and both losing — the drama just reached another level.

Supporters of each camp expected at least some unified front from their children. But according to eagle-eyed netizens, Claudia remained notably silent during the campaign period, prompting backlash from both sides.

“If you can sing and post OOTDs, why couldn’t you even say a word of support for your mom or dad?” one comment read.

“She stayed neutral — and look what happened. Both lost. Where was the support, hija?” said another.

A DAUGHTER’S DILEMMA

To be fair, Claudia has never been vocal about politics, and her relationship with her father Dennis Padilla has been strained and public for years. Her bond with Marjorie, while seemingly closer, was also kept away from the spotlight during the election season.

Some fans came to her defense, saying she had every right to stay silent in such a sensitive and divided situation.

“She’s not a politician. She’s not required to campaign. Leave her out of this mess,” one user wrote.

Others, however, argue that as a public figure, her platform could have helped — and her silence may have contributed to the lack of voter support for both parents.

THE FALLOUT

Now that the results are in and both Dennis and Marjorie were defeated, all eyes are on the Barretto family. Will there be another round of public word wars? Will Claudia speak up and defend herself? Or will the silence continue?

MANILA — Marjorie Barretto on Friday broke her silence and answered the supposed insinuations of her ex-husband Dennis Padilla that she had a hand in not including him in the wedding entourage of their daughter Claudia.

Speaking to Ogie Diaz in his vlog, Barretto said Padilla is not interested in building a relationship with their children, but is merely seeking attention.

“What Dennis wants is not a relationship with his children. What he wants [is] attention,” she said.

“If you’re left out, you’re not in your children’s lives. You’d rather do an interview,” Barretto added. Barretto also addressed Padilla’s complaint that he was not allowed to sit where the bride’s family is, and instead asked to sit beside the sponsors.

According to Barretto, she will not apologize for that because she single-handedly raised her children to begin with.

“Yes, I was seated at the front row where the mother and the father of the bride should be, and I will not say sorry for that. I raised my child single-handedly, Dennis. I was there with her. I deserved that seat in the front,” she said.

Barretto likewise addressed Padilla’s implication that it was her plan not to include him in the entourage.

“What he really wants to do is to accuse me of orchestrating everything, to make him look stupid. He just won’t say my name, it’s like he’s fighting everyone, the story has gotten bigger [and] it’s gotten bigger. But all he wants to say is, ‘Marjorie is the one who planned it all’,” she said. Padilla, in an interview also with Diaz on April 9, a day after Claudia’s wedding, said he believes his daughter was not happy with what happened during her wedding.

“I know Claudia, she doesn’t want what happened, I know. I can feel it, she doesn’t want what happened. She wants me to sit there. She wants me to take her with her. I can see it in her eyes, I can feel it yesterday. When she’s facing people, she’s looking for me,” he said.

Padilla claimed that Claudia talked to her on the morning of her wedding and told her that it might not push through. She later called again to inform him that the wedding will happen as planned.

For Padilla, this might just be because of wedding jitters, but also might be a hidden message to discourage him from attending the wedding.

“You know Claui doesn’t like the arrangement that was made, he doesn’t like that. I know, he doesn’t like that. Maybe that’s why, I feel like he said the wedding wasn’t going to happen, maybe he didn’t want me to go,” he said. PADILLA SAID HE WAS TOLD TO ‘LOOK GOOD’
According to Padilla, he had dinner with his children – Julia, Claudia and Leon – on March 18. On that day, he felt like everything was okay, with Claudia even introducing her then-fiance, Basti Lorenzo, to him.

“Because I felt at the March 18 dinner, I thought it was a reunion of love. My feeling, feeling, the welcome that I had at the dinner was so lively, beautiful, delicious, and then Claui said, ‘I want you to look good’,” he said.

“So that’s my feeling about ‘I want you to look good Papa on that day’, even if you, your son told you then, what does that mean? You look good as a guest, is that what you used to do?” Padilla added.
After their dinner, Padilla said he sent several messages to his children, informing them of his address so they can send over the wedding invitation.

His children did not reply nor the invitations sent. But he was given details of the wedding a few days later.
For Padilla, he would have had an option not to attend the wedding had he known in advance that he was not part of the entourage.

He also said it would have been better that he was not invited at all.

“You know, it would be fun if I wasn’t invited and then I just showed up…I like it more. Because if they ignored you, that’s your problem. You weren’t invited, you came. You ignored them, you can’t do anything,” Padilla said.

“I didn’t expect anything. I’d rather not be invited,” he added.

According to Padilla, Barretto’s sisters Claudine and Gretchen were also not invited to the wedding.

PADILLA SAYS NOT INTERESTED IN FIXING RELATIONSHIP WITH KIDS
After what happened, Padilla said he is done trying to fix his relationship with his children.

“I don’t want to, I’m surrendering. I’m finished. They just want me as their father but bringing back the relationship, there’s probably nothing,” he said.

He also said he will not give his children any chance to see him or talk to him while he’s alive.

“I will not give them any chance to see me or talk to me. I will not give them any chance,” Padilla said.

“Maybe the last time you will see me, it will be inside my coffin. I can’t avoid it. I can’t ban you there. You can visit there,” he added.

According to Padilla, part of his decision to fully cut ties with his children was his mother’s reaction when they were ignored during the wedding.

For Barretto, however, Padilla should have realized why his children do not like him to begin with.“Dennis and my children have been estranged for many, many years. Why are they estranged? Let’s go there first. Because for the past ten years, Dennis has done nothing but give interviews. He will cry, he will cry and make it seem like he really misses the children, and I believe he does miss the children. But the point here is that the children are embarrassed, they are hurt that they are being talked about in public,” she said.

“He may make it seem like he doesn’t criticize, but he bashes my children whenever he gives interviews. So we always have common friends that I always say, ‘tell Dennis that the sooner he stops giving interviews, the faster the reconciliation.’ I just want to clarify,” Barretto added.

She also denied the implication that she is controlling her children so they won’t meet with their father.

“For 18 years that we’ve been separated, he’s been making it seem like I’m the one preventing him from being close to my children…That I’m brainwashing my children against Dennis. That’s not true,” Barretto added.

Claudia, Barretto and Padilla’s second daughter, got married on Tuesday.Following what happened, Padilla posted a series of rants about the wedding, specifically his frustration that he was not allowed to bring Claudia to the altar.