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MANILA, Philippines — Actor and comedian Dennis Padilla detailed the events surrounding the April 8 wedding of his daughter, Claudia Barretto, to longtime partner Basti Lorenzo, after posting he felt more like a "visitor" rather than the father of the bride.
In an interview with entertainment reporter Ogie Diaz Thursday midnight, Padilla recalled that he had a dinner with Claudia and his other children on March 18, during which he believed a reconciliation was taking place. He said Claudia even told him, "she wants me to look good [at the] wedding," which led him to think he would walk her down the aisle.
Dennis Padilla INSTAGRAM PHOTO/DENNISASTIG
However, before the wedding, Padilla said Claudia called him crying telling him the wedding was off.
"I asked her what happened? She tried to hold it together, but when my voice cracked, she started crying. She finally said, 'Pa, for the past week, I haven't seen any interest from Basti in getting married. It's like he's unsure,'" Padilla shared.
"I told her, 'That's tough. Don't go through with it. People will understand. I will understand. Number one, you're beautiful. Number two, you're still young. And number three, you're a very good human being. Don't cry. Just move on. Don't get married. Don't go through with it,'" the actor said.
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But a few hours later, Padilla said she called again and said it will push through. Hopeful, Padilla texted Claudia and his son Leon his home address so they could send the wedding invitation. While he didn't receive a formal reply, Claudia eventually sent him the wedding's time and location.
On the day of the wedding, Padilla said he arrived early at the church with his 82-year-old mother and his brother Gene. As guests started arriving, he noticed that his children stayed on the opposite side of the church and did not approach him.
Padilla recalled they didn't know where they were supposed to sit because no one approached them. And then he saw the mother of the bride, Marjorie, take her place to walk Claudia down the aisle.
"While the march was happening, I just stood there, watching. Tears were falling. One of the most painful moments of my life. After Marjorie walked her down the aisle, I approached the organizer and asked, 'Ma'am, what happened? Aren't I the father of the bride?'"
Padilla said the organizer sympathized with him, saying, "Sir, I raised that issue during our meeting. But they told me to just follow the program."
Padilla admitted he would've preferred not being invited at all.
"I didn't want my mother to see me crying. But she did — she bawled her eyes out and turned so pale. I didn't even know what was happening to her," he said.
They planned to leave early, but the coordinator informed them that Claudia had requested a photo with him at the altar.
"I know Claudia didn't want that arrangement, but she couldn't do anything about it," he added.
He also shared that Claudine Barretto, Claudia's aunt, called him crying after learning she wasn't invited to the wedding.
Frustrated and exhausted, Padilla admitted he was done trying to mend his relationship with his children.
"I'm done, I surrender. I'm finished. I'll just be their father, but bringing back the relationship, that's probably over. Maybe we can reminisce, but it's finished," he told Diaz.
He added that he planned to remove all photos of his children from his social media accounts.
"Now I realize, not one of my children has even posted a picture of me on their Instagram, not once. I don't have any photos on any of their social media. Not even a mention of my name, my mother's name, or my father's name, who was also an actor, on their posts. It's zero," he said.
The actor concluded, "I will not give them any chance to see me or talk to me and that is final. This is a permanent goodbye. Maybe the last time you'll see me will be in my coffin because I can't avoid it."
He said he will now focus on raising his younger children, aged eight and 12.
As of posting, Claudia and her siblings have not publicly responded to their father's statements.
