Claudine Barretto, ex-aide swap theft raps

Claudine Barretto

From accused to accuser.

A former personal assistant of Claudine Barretto has filed a complaint for theft against the actress, more than four months after the alleged incident in Marikina City.

In a complaint-affidavit filed in the Marikina City prosecutor’s office on Sept. 11, Dessa Cadelario Patilan said she lost more than P13,550 worth of valuables when Barretto went to search Patilan’s room in the actress’ house at Loyola Grand Villa on May 10.

The search happened after Barretto accused her of theft and reported this to the local police station, she said.

Patilan alleged that Barretto took her cash amounting to P10,700 and her tablet computer, and asked that the actress pay some P113,000 to cover the cost of the lost items as well as moral and exemplary damages, apart from lawyer’s fees.

Sought for comment, Barretto’s legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio said he and his client had yet to receive a copy of the complaint.

“That’s what we complained about (against Patilan),” he said, referring to the qualified theft charges they earlier filed against her. He said Patilan was just getting back at the actress with a “countercharge.’’

He said Patilan “was dismissed from service (by Barretto) a long time ago’’ and that it was puzzling that she was filing the complaint only now.

The actress would issue a statement today to answer the complaint, Topacio said.