Barbie Imperial (left) and Richard Gutierrez | Images: Instagram/@msbarbieimperial, @richardgutz
After their recent sighting in South Korea, Barbie Imperial appeared to have soft-launched Richard Gutierrez on Instagram after she posted a gym photo with a mystery man in the background with a striking resemblance to the actor.
Imperial’s mirror selfie was posted her Instagram story on Monday, May 27, showing herself in a white cropped tank top and army green workout shorts. The man behind her, meanwhile, was wearing a black sando shirt and shorts with a cap and earphones on.
Image: Instagram story/@msbarbieimperial
While Gutierrez did not confirm if he was indeed the man behind Imperial in the photo, the “Iron Heart” actor’s recent Instagram posts, also showed that he’s a frequent visitor to the gym.
Imperial’s Instagram story immediately made the rounds online, sparking a long discussion on Reddit.
“Ano ba yang si Barbie? Di naman sikreto na pamilyadong tao pati yung abuse na pinagdaanan ni Sarah tapos pumatol pa diyan? Wala na bang iba? Sir Richard naman sa dinami ng pasaring na kinakalat ng camp nya sa lifestyle ni Sarah, hindi man lang inisip yung mga anak niya,” lamented one netizen.
“Fresh pa nung break up at back and forth between him and Sarah to those kids tapos nagpapa soft launch agad sa babae na mas bata sa kanya nakakadiri. Are people supposed to castigate Sarah for allegedly spending her (legal) husband’s money tapos makikita mo itong husband ginagastos pera sa hindi naman nya asawa in the first place lol,” continued the netizen.
On Sunday, May 26, Gutierrez and Imperial made headlines after a Facebook user named Grace Yang posted her pictures with the two, who seemed to be on a getaway in South Korea amid their blossoming romance.
Gutierrez and Imperial first sparked dating rumors after they were seen getting cozy at a gastropub in Alabang last January. However, this sighting was debunked by showbiz insider Ogie Diaz, who cited a close source that the two were not in a relationship and that the actress was just entertaining Gutierrez as she is one of the “shareholders” of the restaurant.
Gutierrez’s estranged wife, Sarah Lahbati, was the one who confirmed their separation after she told MJ Felipe in March that she was single. She also told reporters last April that she had “no reaction” to her ex-husband’s rumored romance.
Meanwhile, Gutierrez hasn’t openly discussed his separation from Lahbati, with their co-parenting and annulment ongoing, nor the rumors surrounding him and Imperial.
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