Claudine Barretto threatens to sue Cristy Fermin

The legal counsel of actress Claudine Barretto has issued a final cease-and-desist demand to showbiz commentator Cristy Fermin and her co-host, Rommel Villamor, also known as Romel Chika, over remarks they made about her on their YouTube show.

On Sunday, October 18, Barretto shared a copy of the demand letter on Instagram, accompanied by the short but pointed caption “Lawyer up.”

In the letter, Barretto’s lawyer described the remarks made in a recently uploaded video as ‘untruthful, scandalous, and damaging’ to the actress’ reputation.

Her lawyer demanded that Fermin and Villamor stop making statements harmful to Barretto and cease what he characterized as harassment.

“Failure to comply with our valid and lawful demands may subject you to liabilities which may or may not be presently available under the circumstances,” the letter stated.

It also clarified that the demand did not waive any other grounds for possible violations of existing laws and regulations or prejudice any rights Barretto may have against the commentators under contract or law.

“Please consider this demand final beyond the ambit of any reconsideration,” the letter added.

The letter also urged Fermin and Villamor to give the matter immediate attention to avoid costly and burdensome litigation.

The demand followed a recent episode of “Showbiz Now Na!” in which the two hosts discussed Barretto’s Instagram post showing her in a hospital bed. During the episode, the hosts speculated on Barretto's hospitalization which included asking if she had undergone excess-skin removal following her weight loss. 

The discussion also covered harsh comments from online bashers, including one that mentioned Barretto’s former boyfriend, the late Rico Yan.

“Meron isang nagsabi, ‘Naku, baka sinusundo ka na ni Rico,’” Fermin said.

The hosts also discussed Barretto’s mental health, referring to an alleged bipolar disorder diagnosis, as well as treatment and medication.

Fermin and Villamor further claimed that Barretto’s sister, Gretchen Barretto, had paid her hospital bills and questioned whether Claudine Barretto could continue shouldering the expenses. They also claimed that Claudine has no current work and relied financially on her sister.

The commentators likewise brought up Barretto’s reported complaints that her former husband, Raymart Santiago, did not provide sufficient financial support for their children.  

Fermin and Villamor advised the actress against sharing details of her hospitalization and personal relationships on social media, arguing that doing so could invite criticism and gossip.

Barretto, 47, later addressed the claims in a Facebook post, clarifying that she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), battered woman syndrome, and anxiety attacks, not bipolar disorder. 

“I was diagnosed with PTSD, battered [woman] syndrome & anxiety attacks. Hindi po ako BIOPOLAR,” she wrote.

She also denied relying financially on Gretchen and disputed claims that her sister had paid her hospital bills. “At may pera po ako ni piso walang binayaran ang Ate Gretchen ko. Never akong umasa sa Ate ko. Sya mismo nagsabi na never sya nagbigay ng tulong o pera sa akin. Get your Facts right!!” she said.

In her latest social media update, the actress also signaled her plans to approach the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to file a cyberlibel complaint.

“Hello NBI. See you in a few days. Maka recover lang thighs ko sa operation,” she wrote.