"They know how they were treated, e. And makikita nila kung ano 'yong iniiwan nila. And I've seen so many people naman who tried to come back. Si Claudine na nga lang....," Alberto said in an interview published in the
July 2012 issue of YES Magazine, which looked back at 20 years of ABS-CBN's talent management arm.
When asked if Claudine had tried to return to ABS-CBN, Alberto "waved the question away," the magazine said. "The point is, it's better that you let them go and they choose to stay," Alberto said.
In the interview, Alberto admitted that the rift between Star Magic chairman emeritus Johnny Manahan and Barretto "has never been fully healed."
The rift started in 2010 a year after Caludine Barretto left ABS-CBN to move to GMA-7.
Claudine at the time accused Angelica Panganiban of spreading rumors that she was having an affair. Claudine Barretto threatened to sue Angelica Panganiban but Mr. M told Angelica to keep her silence and did all the speaking for her.
Actor Piolo Pascual, a prized talent of Star Magic, told YES Magazine that he also felt sad when Caludine decided to leave ABS-CBN.
"That was bittersweet because, you know, Claudine was our first and... It's hard. It's really hard for us because Mr. M and Tita Mariole naman would give it their all. So, siyempre, ako -- I didn't want any one to leave. But if they felt na they could grow elsewhere, you've got to let them go," said Piolo, who was Claudine's leading man in the hit 2004 film "Milan" and the television series "Walang Kapalit" in 2007.
