(UPDATES) IN his first video message since winning two gold medals at the Paris Olympics, artistic gymnast Carlos Yulo called on his mother, Angelica, to move on from her issues regarding his finances and love life.
Appearing on TikTok with girlfriend Chloe San Jose, Yulo said he hoped his mother could heal, that he forgave her a long time ago and that his family should be celebrating his achievements.
"My message to you now is to heal, move on, and you know, I've forgiven you a long time ago already... I pray that you are safe and in good condition over there. Let's stop this and celebrate the sacrifices, achievements and hard work of every Filipino athlete here in the Olympics," Yulo told his mother in Filipino.
He also said that his mother congratulated him in a television interview aired on Monday night, and if it was genuine, he thanked her for it but also admitted that there were still flashbacks of the hurtful things she said to him and that there were many times she did not wish him well.
Yulo's mother admitted in the interview that she and the double Olympic champion were not on good terms, particularly with San Jose, whom she immediately called a "red flag."
"She judges Chloe by the way she acts and dresses. First of all, Chloe was in Australia and grew up in that culture. And it's very different from how people dress or talk in the Philippines," he said.
The double Olympic champion also agreed with his mother that his girlfriend was the reason they didn't see eye to eye.
"Because ever since the beginning, she never liked Chloe even though she hadn't seen or met her in person. Our relationship became more strained when I set boundaries in my relationship. I defended Chloe because I care about her," he said.
San Jose also said her family opened a group chat to address Mrs. Yulo's issues with her and revealed that she left the chat.
"She's posting a lot on social media, and even though my family knew, my family still welcomed them, treated them with respect, and with no judgment, that we only listened to what your mother had to say about me and our relationship," she told Yulo in the video.
"And then, after the group chat, she left, and she never heard anything from my family," San Jose added.
Another issue that Yulo addressed in the video was that he never got to receive an incentive that he was supposed to receive from a tournament, and asked where it went.
He said it was supposed to be a six-figure amount, not merely P70,000, which Mrs. Yulo claimed.
"I wouldn't have known that she had received them if I hadn't looked for them myself. I have never received those incentives, and I never asked them for it. I have given up on it; it's no longer mine," Yulo said.
"The principle here is not on how little or big the amount was that she handled, but her hiding and handling it without my consent, which I'm pointing out to her," he added.
He also defended his girlfriend from a claim that he would run out of money because of her and said that his bank accounts are with his mother.
"First of all, Chloe has her own income. Everything you see, whether it's her belongings or her travels here and there, is from her own earnings," Yulo said. "That comes from her hard work. And why would I run out? As I said, Chloe has her own income. All of my bank accounts are with my mother. There have been instances where Chloe has supported me during those times. Besides the incentives, she also manages my bank account for my monthly allowances for gymnastics."
"And when I finally got my bank account back, that's when I found out that she had been depleting the funds. I have the bank statements showing the withdrawals she made," he added.
Mrs. Yulo's Facebook page remains active as of press time and contains posts that never even mention the Olympic champion but mostly photos of his younger gymnast siblings.
In other television interviews, Yulo's father and siblings cheered for him and congratulated him for his success at the Olympics.