Actress Barbie Imperial has firmly denied allegations that she was involved in the breakup of married couple Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati, stressing that she had nothing to do with their separation.
Speaking on the YouTube show ‘Ogie Diaz Inspires’ hosted by Ogie Diaz, Barbie addressed the long-running speculation head-on and said she was never a third party.
“Kung anuman po ‘yung naging rason nang hiwalayan nilang dalawa, masasabi ko po and alam ng Diyos na hindi po ako ‘yon. Alam po ng buong showbiz ‘yan, ‘yung mga nakakakilala kay Richard, kay Sarah and sa akin,” Barbie said.
She emphasized that both Richard and Sarah are fully aware of the real reason behind their breakup and that they know she was not involved.
“Si Sarah and Richard, alam po nilang pareho kung ano talaga ang reason ng hiwalayan nila. Alam rin po nila pareho na hindi po ako ‘yon. At kung anuman po ‘yon siyempre hindi ko po istorya ‘yon and respeto ko po ‘yon kay Sarah, kay Richard and sa dalawa po nilang anak,” she added.
Barbie also clarified that when she entered Richard’s life, the couple was already living separately.
“Ang alam ko po noon parang separate house na sila. Separate na talaga lahat. At feeling ko naman Tito kung inagaw ko si Richard kay Sarah, magagalit talaga siya sa akin… babae siya. At feeling ko kung ako rin inagawan, ipo-post ko talaga,” she said.
She further noted that whenever she and Sarah cross paths at events, they remain civil and even exchange smiles.
During the same interview, Barbie also shared how her relationship with Richard began, explaining that they first met at Tipsy Pig, a bar where she is a part-owner. Richard had visited the place to support a friend, and their casual interaction was immediately caught on video, which later fueled public backlash.
“Nagchichikahan pa lang kami no’n may video na. Tapos kinaumagahan, ang dami nang nagagalit, which is for me naman, it’s also valid because ‘yong dalawa shared 11 beautiful years,” she said.
Despite the controversy, Barbie reiterated that her conscience is clear and that she respects the history Richard and Sarah shared as a family.
The issue surrounding the Gutierrez-Lahbati breakup and Barbie’s alleged involvement has been a recurring topic in entertainment circles since 2024, but with her latest statements, the actress hopes to finally put the rumors to rest.
