In a fiery new interview with entertainment host Ogie Diaz, Inday Barretto—mother of actress Claudine Barretto—issued a stern warning to Jodi Sta. Maria over her ongoing relationship with actor Raymart Santiago, Claudine’s estranged husband.
“Itong g*gong ’to, magpapatayo pa raw ng bahay with Jodi. When Jodi stops being Jodi Sta. Maria, she loses not only Raymart, she’ll lose everything. Bahala siya, I’m speaking from experience,” Inday said in the interview posted on Ogie Diaz Inspires on Sunday, October 19.
The 89-year-old matriarch did not hold back as she recounted alleged incidents of abuse and betrayal that her daughter Claudine supposedly suffered at the hands of Santiago during their marriage.
“Yung dumating si Jodi, wala namang pakialam si Claudine kay Jodi Sta. Maria, that’s her lookout. I’m not gonna say good luck to her, I’m just gonna pray for her. But proceed at your own risk. Kung hindi mo pa alam, bahala ka. Bahala na ang Diyos, ‘yun lang sasabihin ko,” she said.
Inday alleged that Santiago not only physically and psychologically harmed Claudine but also took control of the couple’s properties and finances after their separation.
“Naisahan niya, walang ni isang kusing sa pangalan niya. Hindi ba’t that is the height of betrayal?” she said, claiming all assets ended up under Santiago’s name despite being purchased with Claudine’s earnings during her peak years in show business.
Inday also revisited past incidents that she said she personally witnessed, including moments when Claudine allegedly called her in distress. She accused Santiago of “abuse” and even more serious acts that, she claimed, deeply traumatized her daughter.
“One afternoon, I went to the mall, then my phone rang—bigla na lang may umiiyak, si Claudine,” Inday recalled. “Sabi niya, ‘Mom, hurry up.’ When I got there, I knew there was trouble.”
She went on to describe alleged instances of violence that she said left Claudine in a fragile state, both physically and mentally.
“I’ll say it out, panindigan ko talaga ’yun. Kita ko pagbaba ni Claudine sa stairs, parang she just collapsed kay Daddy… Malamig pa sa yelo ’yung paa,” she said. “That was the time he r*ped her… and Santino saw it.”
Inday said she remained silent for years out of fear and self-restraint but decided to speak up now, claiming she could no longer stand by.
“Tinago ko ng ilang years. Not out of shame pero baka hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko,” she said. “Huwag namang sabihin na a mother, 89 years old, will just sit down in that stupid wheelchair and watch your daughter, kinakatay na, pinapatay na, ninanakawan pa, niluluhuran pa.”
She concluded her statements with a warning: “I will not die until I finish this. And he [Raymart] better watch out. I’m gonna get him and then I can rest in peace.”
The explosive interview quickly went viral, gaining hundreds of thousands of views and igniting discussions across social media about the long-standing conflict between the Barretto family and Santiago.
Santiago’s camp, through the Calleja Law Firm, immediately issued a statement refuting Inday’s allegations, calling them “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,” the statement read.
The actor’s legal team suggested that Inday’s outrage might stem from a disputed land sale three years ago, reportedly made by Claudine without Santiago’s consent, and reminded the Barretto family of a gag order issued by the Family Court, Branch 5 of Mandaluyong City in 2023.
“Our client has faithfully complied with [the gag order], having kept his peace all these years. It is his hope that Ms. Claudine, her family, and agents would do the same, out of respect for the courts of justice and more importantly, for the sake of their children,” the statement added.
As of this writing, neither Claudine Barretto nor Jodi Sta. Maria has issued a response regarding the renewed controversy.
