John Estrada and Barbie Imperial | Image: Instagram/@johnestrada__, @msbarbieimperial
John Estrada has slammed rumors linking him romantically to Barbie Imperial, stressing that he doesn’t know the actress personally and only saw her once.
In a statement shared on his Instagram on Sunday, Jan. 5, Estrada expressed frustration over the false narratives, emphasizing that even though he and Imperial co-starred in “Batang Quiapo,” they have not had the chance to interact closely in another way.
“Unang una hindi ko alam kung sino o saan nag simula ang kalokohan na to, na naglilink sa amin ni Barbie Imperial,” he wrote alongside screenshots of the news item.
“Hindi ko po kilala si Barbie Imperial, kilala ko sya bilang isang artista pero hindi po sa personal na lebel, sa talambuhay ko, minsan ko lang lang ho siya nakita sa Christmas special ng ABS-CBN ng 2021 or 2022, at yun na ho ang huling pagkikita namin sa naalala ko. Totoo po mag kasama kame sa Batang Quiapo, pero ni minsan hindi kami nagkita,” continued the actor.
Estrada regarded the people who were spreading the rumors as “comedians,” as he criticized online outlets for spreading the false information.
“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, yun lang po at maraming salamat,” he concluded his post.
The actor has limited commenting on his Instagram post, but curiously, it was “liked” by Ruffa Gutierrez, the sister of Imperial’s rumored squeeze, actor Richard Gutierrez.
Image from John Estrada’s Instagram.
Estrada is currently married to former beauty queen Priscilla Meirelles. They share one daughter, Sammanta Anechka. After over a decade of marital bliss, the pair recently announced that they are “taking a break” from their relationship.
Estrada and Meirelles have yet to announce if they are currently in the process of divorce.
Meanwhile, while Imperial has often been publicly seen with Gutierrez, the latter’s annulment with estranged wife Sarah Lahbati is still ongoing. The two, however, have yet to confirm their relationship status as of writing.