Daniella breaks silence about aunt Claudine

Daniella Barretto (Photo: Lookbook)

MANILA – Daniella Barretto, eldest daughter of actress Marjorie Barretto, revealed that she was indeed offended by her aunt Claudine’s televised remarks, calling her “ungrateful and without good manners.”

Claudine said she made the remarks after Daniella’s series of Twitter posts last week, which she felt were in reference to her. Claudine and Marjorie are currently embroiled in a family feud; a fight which also includes another Barretto sibling, Gretchen, as well as the rest of the family.

Daniella voiced out her grievances against her aunt in an exclusive interview with “The Buzz” which aired on Sunday. She said, however, that she was more hurt than mad over what her aunt said about her.

“She said na wala na daw siyang pakialam sa akin kasi bastos daw ako and wala akong utang na loob. Pinahiya niya ako. Sira na ako agad sa mata ng tao. Hindi pa nila ako nakikilala, she already made people believe na wala akong utang na loob and bastos ako… [Pero] mas nasasaktan ako than nagagalit ako sa kanya (She said that she wants nothing to do with me, because I am rude and ungrateful. She shamed me. My reputation has been tarnished. She made people believe that I am ungrateful and rude even before they have even met me. But I am more hurt than mad at her),” she said.

Daniella explained that Claudine must have misinterpreted her posts on social media because in reality, the tweets were not directed at or meant for her aunt.

“When she came out on TV, she released other tweets of mine that weren’t really for her. Actually last year ko pa yatang mga tweets ‘yun (Actually, I think I even sent those tweets last year yet.) But I’m already answering it now – it wasn’t meant for her,” she said.

Asked if she was really bashing Claudine on Twitter, Daniella said, “No. I have no idea where that came from. When she was interviewed during Mother’s Day, I saw my mom cry. And then doon na ako – alam mo ‘yung anak ka eh. Ide-defend mo ‘yung nanay mo (And then there I was – you know, I am her child. Any child would defend their mother.). I did tweet something that day. But I realized that I shouldn’t so I erased it right away. But she saw it.”

“After her interview, haters were non-stop, below the belt ‘yung mga sinasabi like wala kang modo, mukha kang kabayo, pangit ka (they were saying things like You have no manners, you look like a horse, you are ugly). So nag-tweet ako (So I tweeted, as well.) And she said that pinalaki niya kami, wala daw akong utang na loob (And she said that she raised us, yet we are ungrateful). And doon na-offend ako (And that is what offended me) for my mom because my mom never left, she was always here. Sinabi ko na walang ibang nagpalaki sa amin kundi mommy ko. Doon siya na-offend (I retorted that no one but my mother raised us. And that is what offended my aunt),” Daniella added.

Daniella likewise emphasized that she never denied all of Claudine’s efforts towards helping their family.

“I thank her for everything that she has done for my family, when she’d take us out, when she’d shower us with so many gifts. Hindi ko naman dine-deny ‘yun. Hindi ko naman sinabi na hindi siya naging parte ng buhay ko, (I never denied that. I never said that she was not a part of my life),” she said.

In response to Claudine’s remark that Daniella was the one who “drew first blood,” the younger Barretto said, “I don’t think so. The first time I tweeted, she thought that it was for her. I wasn’t attacking her. That’s two different things – attacking somebody and defending somebody. I was just defending my mom.”

Daniella chose for some time to stay mum about the situation, but has now chosen to break her silence because she feels that what’s being said is “too much already.”

“Ayaw na namin makisali eh (We did not want to be a part of this anymore). We stayed neutral by keeping quiet but then this one, it was direct attack sa akin (at me) na. Parang teka lang naman, bakit biglang ako na (It was like, wait, why is it now me, all the sudden?)? We could have talked about this over the phone. I would have explained myself. But wala na, parang lumabas lang siya sa TV (But then she went ahead and came out on TV),” she said.

Daniella, who is Marjorie’s daughter with Kier Legaspi, admits to having once been close to her aunt Claudine during her younger years.