Producer Neil Arce, husband of actress Angel Locsin, added a humorous twist to the ongoing rumors surrounding Richard Gutierrez and Barbie Imperial.
Arce joked about his loyalty to the iconic “ChardGel” love team of Gutierrez and Locsin in a recent social media post.
On January 16, Arce shared a screenshot of his Instagram conversation with Imperial, showing his playful support for “ChardGel” after Gutierrez’s interview with showbiz insider Ogie Diaz. In the interview, Gutierrez addressed the speculated romance between him and Imperial, which has drawn widespread public attention.
Arce sent Imperial a photo of two people watching the interview and captioned it, “ChardGel pa rin.”
Imperial humorously replied, “Same. Bagay talaga sila, bro. Grabe ‘yung chemistry.”
Gutierrez and Locsin first teamed up in the 2004 fantasy series ‘Mulawin’, which catapulted them to fame as a love team. While their romantic partnership was limited to the screen, both have spoken fondly of their deep friendship.
In the interview with Diaz, Gutierrez discussed the rumors about his relationship with Imperial, emphasizing that she was not a factor in his separation from actress Sarah Lahbati, his former wife.
“Nung nakilala ko si Barbie, matagal na kaming nagkahiwalay ng landas ni Sarah,” Gutierrez clarified. He also stressed his commitment to protecting Imperial, saying, “[Bilang lalaki], kailangan ko siyang protektahan.”
While Gutierrez did not explicitly confirm his relationship with Imperial, he hinted at transparency, noting, “What you see is what you get.”
Arce’s lighthearted comment has sparked further conversation online, with fans reminiscing about the chemistry of “ChardGel” while speculating about the evolving connection between Gutierrez and Imperial.