Kapamilya actress Barbie Imperial did not let online criticism slide after several netizens accused her of allegedly copying social media posts of Sarah Lahbati, the estranged wife of Barbie’s current boyfriend Richard Gutierrez.
The issue started after Sarah recently posted photos of herself posing with a luxury vehicle, earning praise from netizens who described the actress as classy and elegant.
Shortly afterward, Barbie uploaded her own photos featuring a brand-new white vehicle with the caption: “Big toy for a small girl.”
The post quickly drew comparisons between the two actresses, with several netizens accusing Barbie of allegedly trying to match or imitate Sarah’s social media flexes.
Some comments read: “Hahahaha tinatapatan Ang luxurious style ni Sarah.”
“Gaya gaya. nag flex lang si Sarah nag flex kna din.”
“Sabi nanga ba gaya gaya talaga to.”
“Sus nag-flex lang yung isa eh hahaha.”
Others even tagged Sarah in the comments and claimed Barbie was copying her posts.
However, Barbie directly addressed the accusations and clarified that her upload was part of a paid endorsement campaign.
“I was paid to post this for Ridemax. I had my Lc250 last year pa. This was shot last month pa and I was told to post this pic this week. I think I’m allowed naman to post my car sponsorships.. wag issue,” Barbie explained.
The actress emphasized that she already owned the vehicle prior to the social media controversy and that the timing of the upload was simply part of the sponsorship arrangement.
The issue added fuel to the already existing tension between supporters of Barbie and Sarah, especially after Barbie was previously linked to Richard following his separation from Sarah.
In a previous interview, Barbie denied being involved in the breakup of the former couple and maintained that Richard and Sarah had already separated before she entered the actor’s life.
Richard and Barbie publicly confirmed their relationship in January 2026 after months of speculation.
Meanwhile, Sarah officially confirmed her separation from Richard in March 2024. The former couple shares two children, Zion Gutierrez and Kai Gutierrez.
Recently, Barbie and Richard also sparked kilig online after the actor surprised her with a romantic floral setup filled with pink and pastel-colored flowers, candles, and balloons. The actress simply captioned her Instagram Story post with: “Thank you.” The grand gesture led some netizens to speculate that an engagement between the couple could possibly happen soon.
