Duterte ‘shocked’ after bid to smooth Philippine celebrity feud between Gretchen Barretto and sister Marjorie ends in scuffle

Attempt by the president to reconcile film star family ends in hair pulling and the intervention of his bodyguards at a wake for patriarch Miguel Barretto

But critics question why a leader who has ordered numerous killings in his infamous war on drugs would be fazed by such a minor celebrity catfight

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Published: 8:00am, 19 Oct 2019Updated: 5:07pm, 15 Nov 2019

A rare attempt by Rodrigo Duterte to play peacemaker ended in failure this week when the usually combative Philippine president tried to smooth over a feud between two celebrities only to prompt a scuffle and hair pulling.

The controversial leader was said to have been “shocked” to see his presidential guards forced to pry two women apart after his efforts to heal a family rift did not go down well, according to local media reports.

Film star Gretchen Barretto, one of Duterte’s most avid celebrity endorsers in his 2016 election campaign, was on Wednesday prodded by the president to kiss and make up with younger sister Marjorie at a wake for their father Miguel following the latter’s death on Tuesday at the age of 82.

The president, apparently conscious of an ongoing simmering dispute between Miguel’s four daughters and three sons, asked Gretchen to shake hands with Marjorie, according to witnesses.

Gretchen reportedly extended her hand only to be shunned by her sister, who was quoted by sources as telling Gretchen she was being “plastic” – a local slang term alleging hypocrisy – because the president was there.