Why Dennis made Startalk viewers cry

Toward the end of Your Funfarer’s exclusive interview with Dennis Padilla in last Saturday’s edition of Startalk (aired a little after 3:30 Saturday afternoons), I asked him what his fondest memories with his daughter, fast-rising Kapamilya star Julia Barretto, were. Dennis’ voice cracked a bit, and tears fell from his reddening eyes as he took a hanky from his pocket to wipe them.

“When Julia was a little girl,” recalled Dennis, struggling to smile through tears, “every time I would leave the house, she would cry and cry, she wouldn’t let me go. So what I’d do was let her ride with me and I would buy her junk food and a Coke which she would sip as we drove around. Then, I would leave her home and that’s when she would bid me goodbye with a big smile, no more tears.”

That part of the interview was  done off-air. Otherwise, if it was included in the telecast, I guess Dennis would have moved more viewers to tears. Immediately after the Startalk airing, friends (one of them Jojo Gabinete) texted to tell me that they cried over some portions of the interview in which Dennis was talking for the first time about the sad news that a petition has been filed in court for Julia’s surname to be legally changed to Barretto after that of her mom’s Marjorie Barretto from whom Dennis has been separated for more than seven years, with their marriage (Dennis’ second) annulled in 2008.

Prior to the on-air interview, Dennis clarified that in the New Family Code, “There’s no more illegitimate child basta the child is recognized and acknowledged by the parents whether they are married or not.” In her birth certificate, Julia, now 17, is identified as Julia Francesca Barretto Baldivia which is the name she’s using in school and in her passport. The petitioner, reported to be Marjorie, is asking the court to have Baldivia dropped from Julia’s name and for her to use simply Barretto in signing documents. They have two other children, Claudia and Leon, who are younger than Julia.

“Okey lang sa akin na Barretto ang gamiting screen surname ni Julia and not Padilla because my real surname naman is Baldivia,” said Dennis who admitted that he first learned about the petition from blind items in the tabs, until they were finally identified.

“At first, I didn’t believe those items were referring to us. Sabi ko, ‘I don’t think Julia will do that to me, kasi wala naman akong malaking kasalanan sa kanya.’ Then, last June, somebody told me that somebody did file that petition. So I checked with the Family Court. That’s when I learned that the petition was filed last year pa pala.

“I thought about it for one month. Sometimes, I would console myself, ‘Pabayaan mo na lang. Kung ayaw nilang gamitin ni Julia ang apelyido ko, okey lang.’ Then, I told my self, ‘Fight for your right; dugo mo ‘yan, anak mo siya.’ So I hired the services of a lawyer.” 

In the next breath, his voice breaking, Dennis said, “At first, I told myself that Marjorie and Julia have the right na alisin ang surname because, I must admit, marami naman akong pagkukulang.”

Like what “shortcomings” (pagkukulang)?

“Ever since Marjorie and I separated,” confessed Dennis, “my career, political and showbiz, became unstable. (Dennis served as councilor in Caloocan City, the same position that Marjorie held after him. —RFL) Nag-lie low ang career ko which was not my choice. But showbiz is like that; sometimes, you earn a lot; sometimes, you don’t; sometimes, medya lang. Even when Marjorie and I were newly separated, I still had to work so I could support them financially. Then, these past three years, talagang hindi na ako nakapagbigay because I have no more projects.”

Did he explain everything to Julia?

“Yes, I did,” he said, adding, “but I was never remiss in taking care of them when they were kids in the more than 10 years that we were still a family. I consider Marjorie’s daughter (from a previous relationship) as my own. There was a time when she used my surname in school. I even wanted to adopt her. When Marjorie and I broke up, she (the daughter) stopped using my surname. Okey lang because she’s my stepdaughter. Pero si Julia, she should retain my surname. Kadugo ko siya, eh.”

Because of the present situation, Dennis and Julia hardly see each other although, according to Dennis, they would exchange text messages twice or thrice a month.

“The last time we saw each other was last Feb. 7, two days before my birthday,” continued Dennis. “She would text me, ‘Papa, how are you?’ Last June on the night of Father’s Day, she texted me, ‘Happy Father’s Day, Papa.’ Short messages, bitin ako.”

Doesn’t he make effort to see Julia?

“I wanted to visit her sa kanyang Sunday show because it was her birthday, but she told me, ‘Huwag na, Papa, kasi nandoon si Mommy; I don’t feel comfortable.’ Sabi niya, ‘Magkita na lang tayo sa ibang araw para-i-celebrate ang birthday ko.’ That was March 10. But after that, she got busy with the taping for her show Mirabella, so I told her, ‘Sige, kung kailan ka na lang libre.’”

Doesn’t he feel any resentment in Julia towards him?

“No, I don’t,” Dennis was sure. “I was happy with the success of her show Mirabella. I texted her, ‘Anak, job well done. I love you. See you soon.’ She called, ‘Pa, thank you sa message.’ In passing, I told her that I already have a copy of the petition. She just said, ‘I shall talk to you some other time…’ That’s how the call ended.”

What if, now that Julia is earning well, she paid him a surprise visit driving a brand-new car and asked him to hop in for a short drive-around?

I popped that question again off-air.

His voice cracking again, Dennis said, trying to smile, “Maybe I would buy her a Coke and junk food and thank her for a ride.”

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