Raymart camp denies knowledge nor involvement in Claudine robbery case

PEP EXCLUSIVE. Tumestigo si Raymart Santiago pabor sa dalawang dati nilang kasambahay ng estranged wife na si Claudine Barretto sa ngalan ng katotohanan at upang ipagtanggol ang mga taong walang kasalanan.

Ito ang pahayag ng legal counsel ni Raymart na si Atty. Ruth Castelo kaugnay ng akusasyon ng kampo ni Claudine na may kinalaman ang aktor sa robbery case na kinahaharap ngayon ng aktres.

Basahin: Claudine slams Raymart, Gretchen over robbery case against her -- report

Matatandaang pormal nang sinampahan ng kaso si Claudine ng Marikina Regional Trial Court matapos magdesisyon ang Marikina Prosecutor's Office na may sapat na basehan ang reklamong robbery laban sa kanya ng dati niyang mga kasambahay na sina Jenifer Murillo at Malou Becher.

Kasabay nito ang pagbasura sa naunang reklamong qualified theft na inihain naman ni Claudine laban sa dalawang kasambahay.

IN THE NAME OF TRUTH. Pahayag ni Atty. Castelo tungkol sa akusasyon ni Claudine, “Mr. Santiago testified in behalf of Ms. Becher and Ms. Murillo in the Qualified Theft case only because he needed to tell the truth. 

"He can no longer afford seeing any more of his former employees languishing in jail despite their innocence of the crime charged."

Ipinadala ni Atty. Castelo sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) ang kanilang statement, sa pamamagitan ng email, nitong Lunes ng gabi, April 28.

Pagpapatuloy pa ng abogado ni Raymart, “Mr. Santiago is not fond of telling lies or distorting the truth.

"He has told the truth from the very beginning and his love for his children will not stop him from doing so, especially when the liberty of an innocent person is at stake, and when only he can attest to that person’s innocence. 

“He is capable of telling only the truth, even at the expense of alienating his children as Ms. Barretto points out, and he will stand up to the truth anytime because he does not want his children to continue living in lies.

“The truth will bear Mr. Santiago out, and he believes that his children will eventually understand their current family crises, all these legal battles and all the false accusations made by Ms. Barretto against him. 

"This is precisely why he keenly keeps a record of all the case files so that his children can read and understand the real story when they finally come of age."

Sinabi rin ni Atty. Castelo na nais ni Raymart na ituwid ang “false information” ni Claudine tungkol sa robbery case laban sa mga dating kasambahay nila.

“The truth of the matter is that Ms. Barretto filed a criminal case for Qualified Theft against Ms. Malou Becher and Ms. Jennifer Murillo, her former personal assistants who lived in the Santiago household during their employment. 

"Ms. Barretto alleged that Ms. Becher and Ms. Murillo stole expensive leather goods from Ms. Barretto, among other things.

“In their desire to protect their personal integrity, these people filed a counter-charge of Robbery (for taking their money and other personal effects), Grave Coercion and Grave Threats against Ms. Barretto for the offenses she committed against them.

"These two cases were consolidated where Mr. Santiago’s only participation was to tell the truth that the expensive leather goods allegedly stolen by Ms. Becher and Ms. Murillo belonged to him, and that the same are in his possession for his personal use."

Binanggit din muli ni Atty. Castelo ang developments sa mga kasong kinasasangkutan ni Claudine at nina Jenifer at Malou.

“After a series of hearings, the Marikina City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the charge of Qualified Theft against Ms. Becher and Ms. Murillo after sufficient evidence was presented that they did not steal anything from Ms. Barretto.

“On the other hand, the Marikina City Prosecutor’s Office found probable cause to indict Ms. Barretto for the crime of Robbery for taking the personal property of Ms. Becher and Ms. Murillo with the use of threat and intimidation.”
 
UNAWARE OF ROBBERY CASE. Iginiit din ni Atty. Castelo na walang kinalaman si Raymart sa kasong robbery laban kay Claudine.

“The circumstances surrounding this Robbery charge against Ms. Barretto are unknown to Mr. Santiago, considering that he left the Santiago household in March 2013 while Ms. Becher and Ms. Murillo stayed employed long after he was gone. 

“He knows nothing about this case and did not participate in the hearings therefore, so that whether or not Ms. Barretto will have to go to jail for this crime is absolutely beyond Mr. Santiago.

"He has no control whatsoever over Ms. Barretto’s actions, reactions, and behavior whether in public or in private, so that whatever act she did that led to the finding of probable cause against her for the crime of Robbery is beyond him. 

“Ms. Barretto knows very well that Mr. Santiago has no knowledge nor involvement whatsoever in the Robbery case.”

FINANCIAL SUPPORT. Sa isyu naman ng pagbibigay ng financial support sa dalawang anak nina Claudine at Raymart—sina Sabina at Santino—sinabi ni Atty. Castelo na bukas sa pagbibigay ng sustento si Raymart para sa kanyang mga anak sa kundisyong pag-uusapan ito nang maayos at hindi sa media.

“As to the matter of financial support for their minor children Sabina and Santino, Ms. Barretto is very much aware that she may, at any time, raise this issue before the court where the custody case is pending. 

"Mr. Santiago welcomes the claim for the children’s financial sustenance provided that it is done in the appropriate forum, and certainly not in the media." -- Bernie V. Franco, PEP