Filipinos are split on the issue, with columnist Ramon Tulfo clearly gaining public support because of the viral video that showed the group of celebrity couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto ganging up on the veteran broadcaster.
A poll in the morning show Umagang Kay Ganda on Monday showed 81 percent of the viewers sided with Tulfo, with only 19 percent favoring the couple. Some say the public’s perception of the two parties involved has preceded the truth behind the incident, with the Tulfos getting the upper hand mainly because of their public service programs.
The Tulfo brothers—Erwin, Raffy, Ben and Mon—have made names for themselves as champions of the masses, exposing modus operandi, helping the poor, and being the voice of ordinary citizens through their various TV and radio programs and newspaper columns. The Santiagos, on the other hand, have not been getting positive publicity as of late with their marital problems, rumored split-up, and the brouhaha over their bank account still fresh in the memory of the public.
Barretto’s acting career has also been plagued by incessant rumors of her drug addiction and rehabilitation, her alleged gambling habits, and her highly publicized quarrels with older sister Gretchen Barretto in the past. Barretto has also been frequently accused of being “mataray” contrary to her onscreen characters.
Source : ManilaTimes
