"Fake news!"

John Estrada has denied rumors linking him to fellow Batang Quiapo star Barbie Imperial.

This comes on the heels of speculations that Incognito star Richard Gutierrez requested the Batang Quiapo production team to remove Imperial from the show due to jealousy.

"I have no idea who or where this nonsense linking me to Barbie Imperial started," Estrada wrote on his Instagram account on Sunday, 5 January.

"I don’t know Barbie Imperial personally. I know her as an actress, but not on a personal level. In my entire life, I’ve only seen her once — during ABS-CBN’s Christmas Special in 2021 or 2022 — and that was the last time we met, as far as I can recall. It’s true that we’re both part of Batang Quiapo, but we’ve never met on set because we belong to different groups, units, and directors. Whoever started this rumor, you might have a future as a comedian," he added.

In conclusion, he urged "online newspapers, tabloids, or gossip sites" to conduct proper research to ensure there’s even 0.1 percent truth in their stories before publishing them.