Twelve years after Claudine Barretto and Raymart Santiago’s annulment was finalized, Claudine’s mother Inday alleged that Raymart had been abusive toward the ‘Mula Sa Puso’ star.
In a tell-all interview with entertainment insider Ogie Diaz on Sunday, Oct. 19, Inday revealed the details of Raymart’s alleged abuse toward Claudine, including instances of the actor’s supposed physical and sexual abuses.
‘Alam ko kung may sakit sila, may kagalit sila, or if one of them, may away sa partners nila, I can hear them crying. Na-injectiunan na pala. That was the start of the famous injection thing, si Raymart. Tapos bumaba si Claudine, sabi niya, ‘Mom, away-away lang ‘yan.’ Then, he brought us out, ang bait-bait, the old Raymart,’ she said, although she didn’t detail what ‘injection incident’ she was referring to.
‘That was episode number one, there were seven more that came. alam mo naman kapag sinasaktan ang tao eh,’ she continued.
(I know when they’re sick, mad at someone, or if one of them was in a fight with their partners. I can hear them crying. She received an injection. That was the start of Raymart’s famous injection thing. Then Claudine went down the house, she said, ‘Mom, it’s just a normal fight.’ Then, he brought us out, the old Raymart, who was kind, came back. That was episode number one. There were seven more that came. You would know if someone is being hurt.)
Inday revealed further details of Raymart’s alleged abuse toward her daughter.
‘Bumaba si Claudine parang normal. Hindi na siya ‘yung anak ko, parang zombie. 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. I looked at Daddy, and he looked at me. We knew that it was more than anything else,’ she said.
‘That was the time he [bleeped] her. He [bleeped] my daughter in front of ng pilay nilang masahista. Santino saw it,’ she continued, although it remains unclear what word was bleeped out from the interview. ‘Tinago ko nang ilang years. Not out of shame pero baka di ko mapigilan ang sarili ko.’
(Claudine faced us as if everything was normal. But she wasn’t my daughter. It was like looking at a zombie. I’ll say it out and stand by it. I saw Claudine going down the stairs, and she just collapsed on Daddy. Her feet were colder than ice. I looked at Daddy, and he looked at me. We knew that it was more than anything else. That was the time he [bleeped] her. He [bleeped] my daughter in front of their crippled masseuse. Santino saw it. I hid this for so many years. Not out of shame, but I might not help myself.)
According to Inday, there were also alleged incidents where Claudine’s mouth was covered with a face towel, and she would run away ‘like a scared mouse’ to escape from her ex-husband.
‘Tinakpan niya ng face towel ang mouth ni Claudine, I know the story. [I found out] later on but nobody needs to tell me. Nagti-tinginan kami ni Claudine pero [out] of hiya or takot. meron pa, noong kinaladkad niya si Claudine. Tumawag ulit siya tapos hindi ko nakita pero alam ko nagsigawan [sila],’ she said.
‘Ang nakita ko lang, hinahabol niya si Claudine parang daga. Noong malapit na siya kay Claudine, parang gusto niyang mag-escape, magtago. Naabutan niya, hinablot pa niya. I talk but Dad doesn’t want me to talk because I might say colorful words,’ she added.
(He covered Claudine’s mouth with a face towel. I know the story. I found out later on, but nobody needs to tell me. Claudine and I looked at each other, but she did it out of embarrassment and fear. There was one time he dragged her around. I didn’t witness what happened, but she called me and they were at each other’s throats. What I only saw was that he chased Claudine like she was a scared mouse. When he was near her, she escaped and hid. But he was able to reach her. I wanted to talk about it, but Dad doesn’t want me to talk because I might say colorful words.) Inday also claimed that there was a time she brought Claudine to Thailand to prove that the actress wasn’t addicted to drugs, and instead, was suffering ‘mental illness.’ Eventually, the ‘Got 2 Believe’ star came around and told her mother her side of the story.
‘Saktan niyo na ko’t lahat, but don’t touch my children. You’re gonna get it. Miski magkapatid kayo. You have no right. Siguro all this time, kapag pumasok sa utak ko [ang nangyari], ang bait namin sa kanya,’ she added.
(You may hurt me, but don’t touch my children. You’re gonna get it. Even if you’re siblings. You have no right. All this time, when I look back at what happened, I realize how kind we were toward him.)
In the years leading up to the end of Claudine and Raymart’s marriage, their relationship had been tumultuous until their annulment was finalized in 2013.
Since then, the actress has been vocal that she doesn’t want to be friends with her ex-husband due to his current partner, whom she didn’t name.
She also accused the actor of not being a good father toward their children in a 2023 interview.