MANILA, Philippines — Marjorie Barretto has denied her sister Gretchen’s accusation that she was the reason why their father Miguel died.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News’ Karen Davila on Tuesday, Marjorie said her father died of acute respiratory failure, not heart attack, unlike what Gretchen said.
“It goes to show that Gretchen does not care about the family at all. My father died of acute respiratory failure. He did not have a heart attack,” Marjorie stressed.
Earlier reports stated that Gretchen accused Marjorie as the alleged reason for their father Miguel’s heart attack because their mom Inday was not invited to their father’s birthday two weeks before he died.
“Gretchen, stop diverting. My mom is always invited. Why wouldn’t she be invited? She is my mother, and she is the wife of my father, and we are in good terms. If I did not want my mother at the birthday celebration of my father, I wouldn’t have done it in my house,” Marjorie said.
Marjorie said her father claimed that her mother was sick that day, so she was not able to come to the party.
“My dad claimed to us that my mom was ill that day, that’s why she was not able to join us, which is not unusual. My mom is 82 years old,” Marjorie said.
Marjorie also claimed that it is Gretchen who wouldn’t invite their parents to her home.
“Now when we talk about her painting me as a bad daughter, I will put my foot down. I am a good daughter. I am present every Sunday, every family event, I throw their parties, I serve them, I visit my family,” Marjorie said.
“Speaking of not inviting your mother to your house — Gretchen, for more than 25 years, has never invited my parents to her house, any of her mansions and rest houses, not even to their garage. So don’t paint me as the bad daughter, Gretchen,” she added.
Marjorie also said that Gretchen’s "evilness" needs to stop as she asked her sister when she would start healing.
“What Gretchen is doing to me is not only to me. She does this to all her friends, all my friends, family, parents, everything. This evilness has to stop. Ako, gusto ko ibalik ‘yung tanong kay Gretchen: 'Kailan ka ba mapapagod? When will you start healing so you can stop hurting everybody?' I pray for healing. I sincerely pray for healing,” she said.
She added that if only Gretchen visited her father in the hospital, she would be the first one to hug her.
“Kung pumunta siya sa ospital, sa tatay ko, habang buhay, walang presidente, walang kamera, walang lahat, ako ang unang yayakap sa kaniya. I would have hugged her. I would have led her to my father, and I swear that on my children’s lives,” Marjorie said.
“I am for reconciliation, just not an orchestrated one."