IT was, again, Angelica Yulo’s turn to speak her truth on a fast-moving family feud that has stolen headlines away from the Philippines' historic performance in the Paris Olympics.
The mother of Olympic double-gold medalist Carlos Yulo on Wednesday faced media inside the Heroes Hotel in Manila with legal counsel Atty. Raymond Fortun to not only clear the air, but also to apologize to her son for the public debacle that has unraveled in the last few days.
READ: Carlos Yulo breaks silence on feud with mom via Tiktok video
She also felt the urgency to settle the score and come clean as the entire situation has reached, in her words, an ‘alarming’ state since details of the feud - such as her her alleged mishandling of his prize money, allowances, and incentives and her disdain of Carlos’ partner Chloe San Jose - were thrown out in the open.
“Hindi ako perpektong ina at alam ng Diyos na hindi ka rin perpektong anak at walang perpektong pamilya. Walang ibang hangad ang isang ina kundi ang ikabubuti ng kanyang anak at sa bawat miyembro ng pamilya,” Yulo’s mother said.
“Sa paraan mang marahas, maingay, sana’y maunawaan mo na ang intensiyon ko ay malinis. Ako ay isang ina na nasaktan dahil ang mabait na anak na pinalaki ko nang maayos at mabuting tao ay hindi na nakikinig sa mga paggabay ng magulang."
“Kung mali na naging mapagpuna ako sa nobya mo, humihingi ako ng patawad, dahil nanay lang ako na nag-aalala.”
Just three days ago, the younger Yulo became the first Filipino to win two gold medals in one Olympics.
Best addressed in private
As it wasn’t Angelica’s intention to publicize her disagreements with Caloy and his partner, she expressed regret in agreeing to be interviewed hours before what turned out to be his second golden win in the vault final.
According to Yulo's mother, she was restless and tired from staying up late to watch her son's first gold medal conquest in the floor exercise the night before her interview with a local media outlet.
“Hindi na pwedeng bawiin ang nasabi na,” she said.
“Hindi kailangan ng ibang tao na malaman ang mga alitan dahil hindi nila alam ang buong kwento at hindi nila ito lubos na nauunawaan. Gayunpaman, humihingi ako ng patawad sa iyo at sa sambayanan sa mga nasabi ko sa interbyu."
“Hindi ako nakapag-isip nang mabuti nung nirapido ako ng mga tanong ng mga reporter tungkol sa mga bagay na dapat ay tayo na lamang ang nag-ayos. Patawad, anak.”
In the said interview, Angelica blamed San Jose for her and Caloy’s strained relationship.
READ: Feud between Carlos Yulo's mom, girlfriend becomes public
She went on to recount an incident in a past Japan training camp wherein Caloy brought San Jose to the athletes’ quarters where his younger brother Eldrew and national player Miguel Besana were also supposed to stay.
Further fueling the hurt for Angelica, from a mother’s standpoint, was how she believed San Jose was ‘taking away Caloy from her and their family.’
The Yulo matriarch also dismissed claims that she took part of Caloy's prize money from previous competitions without his consent.
A day after, however, in a seven-minute TikTok vide, the Philippines' sporting hero gave his side of the story and belied his mother’s accusations towards him and San Jose.
Among the contentions raised in his response video was how San Jose’s stay in his Japan was greenlit by his then-coach and how Angelica held Caloy’s bank accounts and supposedly withdrew funds without the Filipino gymnast’s approval.
Doors for reconciliation ‘always open’
Caloy’s video, however, ended with a parting note citing how he’s already forgiven his mom ‘a long time ago,’ even if the scars still remain.
And for the first time since the feud scaled new heights in the public eye, a remorseful Angelica expressed her desire to talk things over with her estranged son in private.
“Matanda ka na, kaya mo nang magdesisyon para sa sarili mo. Bukas ang aming pintuan sa tahanan, may pera o wala, kung nanaisin mong bumalik sa amin.," she said.
“Ang amin lang, handa ako at ang papa mo mag-usap tayo nang bukas ang loob, na may pag-unawa anumang oras na handa ka, pag-uwi mo upang maayos ito.”
But if the seething wounds won’t heal just yet for Caloy, Angelica hopes forgiveness still lies at the end of what has been a long and winding road for the Yulo family.
“Kung hindi man tayo magkaayos, sana sa pagdating ng panahon, maunawaan ang aking panig, intensyon, at hindi ang ingay. Ang pamilya, iisa lang ‘yan, at laging nandyan para sa isa’t isa sa kabila ng anumang pagsubok o alitan," she said.
“Ito’y pilit nating uunawain hanggang wala na tayong maisip kundi ang mag-ayos, siguro.”
As she feted her son’s historic Olympic success, Angelica called on the public to celebrate her son’s win and lay the ghosts of an unfortunate public debacle to rest.
“Sa sambayanan, sana ay ipagdiwang na lang natin ang tagumpay ng anak ko. Gumawa ang anak ko ng kasaysayan para sa ating bansa. Lahat tayo ay magpapasalamat kay Caloy para sa karangalang inuwi niya para sa bayan.
“Caloy, congratulations sa iyong tagumpay. Mahal kita, mahal ka naming lahat.”
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