LOOK: Dennis Padilla posts throwback photos in birthday message for son Leon
Dennis Padilla penned a sweet message for his son Leon Barretto for the latter's 20th birthday.
He published two separate Instagram posts containing different birthday greetings on Tuesday, April 2. These read "Happy 20th bday to my son... LEON MARCUX... God bless you more" and "Love you anak... Happy birthday Leon... More blessings... See you soon."
Dennis tagged Ai-Ai delas Alas, Gene Padilla, Jennifer Padilla, and Dani Barretto-Panlilio in his IG posts.
Leon and his siblings Claudia and Julia—all children of Dennis and Marjorie Barretto—have a decade-long rift with their father.
Last year, Dennis posted about how none of his children remembered to greet him on Father's Day.
Leon at the time responded with an open letter that read: "It’s always been an awkward day for us cause we never seem to know where we stand with you every year, I’ve always envied people who never even have to think twice about greeting their dads a ‘Happy Father’s Day.’”
He also revealed that he and his sisters have been trying to get past their years-long rift, but Dennis just kept adding fuel to the fire by airing his concerns about them online. “Papa, why does it seem like you enjoy hurting your kids in public? Why do you keep posting cryptic posts about us and allow people to bash us on your own Instagram page? Do you think it does not pain all of us to not feel protected by their own father?”
He added that every time they try to resolve their issues privately, Dennis would “communicate by shouting, cursing, and using hurtful words that traumatize us.”
Dennis and Marjorie separated in 2007. Later on, Julia, Claudia, and Leon all decided to change their surname from Padilla to Barretto.