A composite photo of Inday Barretto, Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago.

In a bombshell interview, 89-year-old Inday Barretto — mother of actress Claudine Barretto — accused Claudine’s estranged husband, actor Raymart Santiago, of abuse, theft, and infidelity. Santiago’s lawyer has since issued a strong statement denying the claims and citing a court gag order. In an interview released on Monday (October 20) by entertainment host Ogie Diaz, Inday recounted alleged years of abuse and betrayal, saying she could no longer stay silent. “I want to have a voice that I have kept all this time,” she said. According to Inday, Claudine suffered physical and emotional abuse throughout her marriage. She alleged that Santiago not only battered her daughter, but also drugged and raped her in front of their son and a massage therapist — a claim that has shocked fans and industry peers. She further accused Santiago of stealing Claudine’s money and properties, alleging that the actress — once among the country’s top taxpayers — was left financially drained. “Claudine was the highest-paying actress to the BIR. She had millions,” Inday said. “Now she has nothing. Everything she worked for ended up in his name. How did that happen?” In the interview, Inday also claimed that Santiago refused to sign documents related to the sale of a property that Claudine purchased with her own money, allegedly due to the influence of actress Jodi Sta. Maria, Raymart’s current partner. “Jodi told him, ‘Don’t sign.’ So he didn’t. They begged him. Even Claudine’s children cried,” she said. The emotional matriarch accused Santiago of “torturing” her daughter psychologically and financially, saying, “You promised to take care of her and never hurt her. But you did worse than that.” The mother’s accusations come nearly two decades after the once-celebrated showbiz couple tied the knot in what was considered one of the most glamorous celebrity weddings of its time. “He was polite, respectful — Claudine’s best friend’s husband,” Inday said. “I don’t know what happened. Something changed.” But the emotional interview didn’t go unanswered. Shortly after the video went viral, Santiago’s legal team, Calleja Law Office, led by Atty. Howard Calleja, issued a statement strongly denying the allegations and calling Inday’s statements “untruthful and slanderous.” “It is very unfortunate that Mrs. Barretto opted to resort to publicity to spread this untruthful and slanderous narrative about our client and his marriage with Ms. Claudine Barretto, who has likewise repeatedly exploited social media and sought recourse through trial by publicity to discredit our client’s name and reputation,” the statement read. The law firm claimed that the conflict stemmed from the sale of conjugal property allegedly disposed of by Claudine without Santiago’s consent. “It appears that the root of Mrs. Barretto’s outrage is the conjugal land sold by Ms. Claudine three years ago, absent the knowledge and consent of our client,” Calleja said. “Our client refuses to partake in any dispute or irregularity Ms. Claudine and her cohorts may have committed.” Calleja also reminded both parties that a gag order issued by the Family Court of Mandaluyong City on September 20, 2023, remains in effect — an order which Santiago, they said, has continued to honor. “It is our client’s hope that Ms. Claudine, her family, and agents would do the same, out of respect for the courts and more importantly, for the sake of their children,” the lawyer added. The statement ended with a warning: “Any utterances in contravention of the law shall be dealt with before the appropriate forum to protect our client’s rights.” As the Barretto family’s revelations continue to dominate social media discussions, netizens remain divided — with some expressing sympathy for Claudine and her mother, while others urge caution and due process amid the explosive claims.  CAM/Expat Media
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