Despite falling short in her bid for councilor in Caloocan’s 1st District, actress and former politician Marjorie Barretto expressed pride in having waged an honest and heartfelt campaign.
In an Instagram post on May 16, Barretto shared highlights from her campaign journey and thanked her supporters, writing, “We may not have won… but we fought fair. Thank you for the 112,000 votes. District 1, you showed so much love wherever I went.”
Barretto, who returned to politics in October 2024 after a 10-year hiatus, garnered 112,624 votes, placing seventh in the district race, according to Comelec’s May 15 tally.
Undeterred by the loss, she emphasized that her public service aspirations don’t end here. “I’ll just rest for a bit. With God’s help, I still plan to fulfill my dreams for all of you—even without holding public office,” she said, expressing gratitude to those who supported her throughout her campaign.
Her ex-husband, actor-comedian Dennis Padilla, also lost his councilor bid in Caloocan’s 2nd District, earning 9,320 votes.
The pair’s political defeats followed a publicized family rift after the wedding of their daughter, Claudia. Padilla had aired grievances over not being honored as “father of the bride,” while Barretto responded with serious allegations of abuse and toxic behavior in a tell-all interview.