Actor-comedian Dennis Padilla’s emotional outburst over feeling sidelined at daughter Claudia Barretto’s wedding has sparked mixed reactions, with some netizens pointing out that he should be thankful for at least being invited to the ceremony—something not all estranged fathers receive.
Claudia, Dennis’s second child with ex-wife Marjorie Barretto, tied the knot with longtime boyfriend Basti Lorenzo on April 8. Basti is the son of business tycoon Martin Ignacio Lorenzo and wife Leah de Leon-Lorenzo.
While Dennis was present at the wedding, he revealed via social media that he was hurt by the way he was treated—as though he were “just a guest” and not the father of the bride.
“Grabe kayo! Nabudol nyo ako! Father of the bride naging visitor. Galing nyo!” he wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post.
Some observers have since pointed out that his reaction may have done more harm than good, further widening the gap between him and his children—Julia, Claudia, and Leon. Others noted that unlike Dennis, actor Kier Legaspi, the biological father of Marjorie’s eldest daughter Dani Barretto, was not even invited to her wedding in 2019.
In contrast, Dennis still had the opportunity to attend Claudia’s big day and was even photographed with the newlyweds after the church ceremony. However, it appears this was the only moment of inclusion he experienced during the event. According to Dennis, he had no official role in the wedding and was not informed in advance that he wouldn’t be part of the entourage.
Adding to the emotional tension was a now-deleted post by Dennis’s brother, Gene Padilla, who criticized his nieces—Julia, Claudia, and Leon—after attending the wedding. Gene revealed that he, Dennis, and their mother Catalina Baldivia arrived early at the church and were told they could sit wherever they wanted. They ended up choosing seats at the back. According to Gene, Dennis and their mother cried after the ceremony, deeply affected by how excluded they felt.
Marjorie Barretto later responded to Gene’s statements in an explosive interview with Ogie Diaz on April 11. She not only corrected her former brother-in-law’s claims but also dropped serious allegations against Dennis, including emotional manipulation, public victim-playing, and physical abuse during their past relationship.
“For 18 years, ako ang sinisiraan niya sa mga anak ko. Dennis, huwag mo itong ide-deny,” Marjorie said.
“He was physically abusive to me. I’ve been quiet for 18 years, but he was physically abusive… Konting bagay lang, manununtok na ‘yan o mananampal. My kids saw that.”
Marjorie recalled one violent incident when Dennis allegedly struck her in the ear just days after she had given birth to Julia, which resulted in a damaged eardrum that required surgery.
“From the back, ang laking tao ni Dennis, and he hit me so hard in my ear. Lumipad talaga ako… Talagang nawala ang eardrum ko,” she revealed. “They had to recreate an eardrum. Dennis has an explosive temper.”
Explaining why Dennis was not allowed to walk Claudia down the aisle, Marjorie said the children are simply not comfortable around their father and have undergone years of therapy.
“Tension ang dala mo, Dennis. Paano ka namin isasama ng mga bata?” she said. “My kids’ trigger is their father. His voice alone, nanginginig sila.”
She also rejected the idea that Dennis was ever a devoted or present father.
“Maangas ka, Dennis. Hindi ka mabuti sa akin. Naging mabuti ka bang asawa sa akin?”
Following Dennis’s online post and later interview with Ogie Diaz, where he declared a “permanent goodbye” to his children, public opinion remains split—some empathizing with a father longing for inclusion, others urging him to reflect on why the distance with his children exists in the first place.
As of this writing, Dennis has yet to issue a formal response to Marjorie’s explosive revelations. LionhearTV remains open to publishing his side of the story.
