MANILA - An emotional Claudine Barretto said she now knows how it feels to lose a child, citing her estrangement from the children of her sisters Gretchen and Marjorie.
The 34-year-old actress, during a press conference held late Thursday, expressed regret that her nieces, including Marjorie's daughter Julia, have been dragged into the bitter feud involving Claudine and Gretchen.
Asked whether she is still in contact with her nieces, Claudine said, "No. I wish, I wish, but no."
"If I can only protect them," she said, holding tears. "Huwag. Huwag sana madamay 'yung mga pamangkin ko. 'Yung nawala sina Julia, si Clauie, si Danny, pati si Doms, alam ko na kung paano mamatayan ng anak."
The latest feud to rock the Barretto family, which erupted in April, stemmed partly from comments on the image-sharing service Instagram, supposedly made by Gretchen, saying Claudine is not happy about Julia's rise so stardom.
Julia is set to star in her own "fantaserye" as an artist of Star Magic, the ABS-CBN talent management firm that launched Claudine to stardom until her transfer to another network in 2009.
In response to reports on the alleged exchange on Instagram, the Barretto matriarch, Inday, released a statement denying Claudine's supposed plans to "block" Julia's career.
In the same statement, Inday announced she has disowned Gretchen "in order to save one who has always been there for all, and with all of her love...Claudine."
Subsequent statements made two other Barretto siblings, Joaquin and Gia, addressed the issue. The latter sided with her mother and youngest sister, while Joaquin sided with Gretchen, saying Claudine's "condition" should be addressed.
Message for nieces
Since the conflict went public, Claudine said she has not been able to see or speak with the children of Gretchen and Marjorie.
Asked on Thursday if she misses her nieces and nephew, a tearful Claudine said, "Sobra-sobra, sobra-sobra. Sana walang damayan ng mga anak, kasi kailangan nila ang isa't-isa."
Addressing Julia and her younger sister Claudia, as well as Gretchen's daughter Dominique, Claudine added, "I'm so proud of you, Clau. I'm so proud of you, Julia, and even Doms, you're growing up to be such beautiful ladies, inside and out."
"Mama Pretty (the children's term of endearment for Claudine) loves you so much, and there's nothing in this world that I won't do for you guys. I miss you, I miss you so much. I'm just here whnever you need me guys," she said.
Julia, for her part, has also expressed regret about her estrangement from Claudine, saying she would have wanted to seek advice from the long-time actress about her own stint as a "teleserye" star.
[LINK "regret" : http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/06/14/13/julia-barretto-regrets-estrangment-tita-claudine]
In a recent interview with ABS-CBN News, Marjorie said she doesn't doubt Claudine's love for the young actress, but preferred to keep mum when asked on the unresolved feud among them as sisters.
Showbiz comeback
Claudine, whose own two children are caught in a custody battle between her and husband Raymart Santiago, said she will start work on her comeback film as soon as she settles her court cases.
[LINK "court cases" : http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/08/23/13/stop-bullying-me-claudine-tells-santiango-bros]
The actress has said she is gearing up for two film projects under Viva Films, with one being a planned co-production with ABS-CBN's Star Cinema.
Referring to her legal battle, Claudine said, "Tatapusin ko lang 'to. Mas kailangan ako ng mga anak ko. Mag-isa nalang ako ngayon, and emotionally, kailangan talaga nila ako. Physically, they need me there."
"Matapos ko lang 'tong mga kailangan ko i-file para protektahan sila at ipaglaban sila, then I'm going to start working soon," she said.
