Death threat?

Actor Claudine Barretto intends to sue an older brother (whom she named simply as “Kuya Mito”) allegedly for sending death threats to her, following her supposedly having told vlogger-broadcaster Cristy Fermin something damaging to the reputation of their sister Marjorie Barretto.

Claudine disclosed her plan to go to court in an interview with vlogger Jobert Sucaldito who aired the interview on Monday (17 June) on his YouTube channel. Showbiz journo Reggie Bonoan chanced upon the interview and wrote about it in the tabloid Bandera. We are doing this report based mainly on Bonoan’s filed story.

Claudine denies that she is the source of Fermin’s radio report that is damaging to Marjorie’s reputation. What Fermin revealed about Marjorie is that Marjorie was once hit in one of her ears by her ex-husband Dennis Padilla because Marjorie “slashed” Padilla on his back.

The whacking from Padilla caused one of Marjorie’s eardrums to break. She eventually had to go into a surgery to restore that delicate part of her anatomy. The eardrum-breaking seemed to have become the last straw in their already rocky marriage. They eventually separated.

Bonoan’s report does not mention why the brother thinks the revelation that Marjorie managed to “slash” her then-husband’s back could harm her reputation. However, the report includes a mention of Mito’s alleged threat to expose Claudine’s being heavily into drugs.

Claudine stressed to Sucaldito and co-interviewer in the vlog, a certain “Direk Chaps Manansala,” that she has been certified by doctors in a prestigious hospital and a well-known laboratory as not being a drug addict.

In the course of the interview, Claudine revealed that she has received death threats in her phone from a number that does not respond when called. She decided to report the death threats to the National Bureau of Investigation which sent some of their agents to her house to check on her phone and to contact the number of the death threat sender.

Claudine did not reveal the NBI agents’ findings but went on to confide to Sucaldito that she is set to file a case in court against her “Kuya Mito.” She made it clear to Sucaldito that the only reason she is talking to them is to protect their lives.

Claudine said she is anxious not just for her own life but also for her children for whom she is a single parent.

Claudine ranted to Sucaldito and Manansala: “I’m scared for my life also and my children’s lives. Whether empty threats or not, I want to make sure that my children and I would be safe.

“I’m not saying this person is doing all of these but it’s very timely lang. Kasi dapat between the family na nga lang, kaya lang dumating ako sa point na I don’t want anybody to talk to me this way anymore. I’m not going to allow to be disrespected...”

Her marriage to estranged husband, actor Raymart Santiago, has not been annulled. They have one biological child between them and some adopted children. They married in March 2006, separated in 2011, and filed a court petition for annulment in 2013.

Claudine admitted to Sucaldito and Manansala that she did talk privately with Fermin regarding a project she will have with comedian Gene Padilla, a brother of Dennis Padilla, Marjorie’s ex-husband.

Claudine disclosed to her interviewers that she is aware that Mito has communicated to Marjorie about her (Claudine’s) alleged ratting to Fermin about why Dennis hit her (Marjorie). Claudine admitted she has not talked to Marjorie who has not bothered to get in touch with her.

Claudine added in the interview that she has told their mother, Inday Barretto, and another older brother--Jay-jay--that she is determined to sue Mito, and their mother, as well as Jay-jay approved her plan.

So a family war among the Barrettos seem to be impending.