Veteran actor John Estrada took to Instagram recently to address rumors linking him to young actress Barbie Imperial. In a strongly worded post, Estrada expressed his frustration over the baseless allegations and clarified the nature of his limited acquaintance with the actress.
Estrada explained that he only knows Imperial professionally as an artist and not on a personal level. He emphasized that although they are both part of the cast of Batang Quiapo, they belong to different production units and work under separate directors, making it unlikely for them to cross paths on set.
In his Instagram post, Estrada recalled the only time he ever interacted with Imperial, which was during an ABS-CBN Christmas special in either 2021 or 2022. Beyond that event, he stated they had no other meetings or connections.
“Hindi ko po kilala si Barbie Imperial, kilala ko sya bilang isang artista pero hindi po sa personal na lebel,” Estrada wrote. He further clarified, “Sa talam buhay ko, minsan ko lang ho sya nakita sa Xmas special ng ABS-CBN ng 2021 or 2022, at yun na ho ang huling pagkikita namin sa naalala ko. Totoo po magkasama kami sa Batang Quiapo pero ni minsan e HINDI kami nagkita dahil po iba ang grupo nya, unit, at direktor nya.”
Estrada also expressed disappointment toward tabloids and online gossip platforms for spreading unfounded rumors. He called on these outlets to fact-check their stories before publishing, urging them to ensure even the slightest degree of truth before releasing information to the public.
“Kung sino man nagsimula nito e puede ka maging komedyante,” he added, followed by a plea to journalists and bloggers: “Sa mga online newspaper, o tabloid or tsismis sites, e bago nyo siguro ilabas ang isang bagay e mag-research naman kayo kung merong kahit na 0.1 percent na katotohanan.”
Estrada’s post concluded with a note of gratitude and a message to his followers to disregard the baseless gossip.
The actor’s statement comes amid heightened scrutiny surrounding public figures and the rapid spread of rumors online. Fans and colleagues have shown their support for Estrada, commending him for addressing the issue directly and maintaining his professionalism.