MANILA, Philippines- Richard Gutierrez and Barbie Imperial on Monday, January 19, 2026, confirmed in an exclusive ABS-CBN News interview during a promo event for their upcoming drama series “Blood vs Duty” in the Philippines that they are in a romantic relationship and clarified how they chose to manage public attention on their personal lives.
Gutierrez and Imperial addressed longstanding speculation about their relationship status when the interviewer asked them about rumors that had circulated for approximately two years.
Imperial stated that they did not hide their relationship from the public and explained that they both decided to keep their romance private.
Imperial said they preferred to maintain privacy while they focused on their personal lives and careers before confirming their relationship publicly.
Gutierrez and Imperial appeared together at the promotional event as co-stars of “Blood vs Duty,” where they discussed both their project and their relationship.
The actors confirmed that their decision to speak publicly about their relationship coincided with promotional activities for “Blood vs Duty.”
Representatives from ABS-CBN News conducted the interview during an official media engagement for the drama series.
The confirmation followed online and media reports that had linked Gutierrez and Imperial romantically since around 2022.
ABS-CBN News released portions of the interview on its platforms as part of its coverage of the “Blood vs Duty” promo event.
Producers of “Blood vs Duty” scheduled the media event to introduce the cast, including Gutierrez and Imperial, and to promote the series ahead of its release.