Veteran actor John Estrada has vehemently denied rumors romantically linking him to actress Barbie Imperial, asserting that he barely knows her personally.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, January 5, Estrada expressed his frustration over the baseless allegations, clarifying that while they both appeared in the series “Batang Quiapo,” they never interacted outside work.
“Unang una hindi ko alam kung sino o saan nag simula ang kalokohan na to, na naglilink sa amin ni Barbie Imperial,” Estrada wrote. (First of all, I don’t know who or where this nonsense linking me to Barbie Imperial started.)
“Hindi ko po kilala si Barbie Imperial… sa talambuhay ko, minsan ko lang ho siya nakita sa Christmas special ng ABS-CBN ng 2021 or 2022, at yun na ho ang huling pagkikita namin.” (I don’t know Barbie Imperial on a personal level. In my life, I’ve only seen her once during an ABS-CBN Christmas special in 2021 or 2022, and that’s the last time we met.)
Criticism of Misinformation
Estrada criticized those spreading the rumors, calling them “comedians,” and urged media outlets to verify facts before publishing.
“Kung sino man nag simula nito, pwede ka maging komedyante. At sa mga online newspaper, tabloid, or tsismis sites, bago nyo siguro ilabas ang isang bagay, mag research naman kayo kung merong kahit na 0.1 percent na katotohanan.” (Whoever started this could be a comedian. And to online newspapers, tabloids, or gossip sites, maybe you should research if there’s even 0.1% truth before publishing.)
Estrada’s Personal Life
Estrada is married to former beauty queen Priscilla Meirelles, with whom he shares a daughter, Sammanta Anechka. The couple recently announced they are “taking a break” from their relationship after over a decade of marriage, but have not confirmed whether divorce proceedings are underway.
Barbie Imperial’s Rumored Romance
Barbie Imperial, on the other hand, has been frequently seen with actor Richard Gutierrez, whose annulment with estranged wife Sarah Lahbati remains unresolved. Neither Gutierrez nor Imperial have publicly confirmed their relationship status.
Estrada’s post, which had limited commenting, was notably liked by Ruffa Gutierrez, Richard’s sister.