Following the Department of Justice's (DOJ) dismissal of the charge against her in relation to the missing sabungeros case, Gretchen Barretto was recently spotted having lunch at a hotel in Mandaluyong City by showbiz reporters Gorgy Rula and Salve Asis.
In true Barretto fashion, she greeted Rula and Asis with warmth and engaged in a brief conversation while wearing an all-black ensemble and nearly face-covering eyeglasses.
Asis wrote, “Ang ganda ni Gretchen Barretto nung nakasabay namin sa isang hotel kahapon para mag-lunch. Parang hindi siya nagkaka-edad. Ganoon pa rin ang itsura at parang 23 pa rin ang waistline.”
They then asked Barretto if she will return to showbiz anytime soon, to which she replied briefly, “Peaceful, quiet life,” implying a private life away from the spotlight.
One of their friends jumped in with, “No more problems, no more unnecessary stress." Barretto candidly responded, “Yes!”
Barretto is no stranger to public drama and scandal, having previously handled family battles and celebrity feuds. She also appeared in films, teleseryes, and shows.
In July 2025, whistleblower Dondon Patidongan identified businessman Atong Ang and Barretto as among those allegedly responsible for the abductions of missing sabungeros. He accused them, together with Eric Dela Rosa and Celso Salazar, of masterminding the case of not only 34 but over 100 missing sabungeros. Barretto, through her legal counsel, Alma Mallonga, has since refuted Patidongan's charges, claiming they are founded on suspicion and that her client "has no relevant knowledge" of the disappearances.
Last December, the DOJ dismissed a criminal case against her and other Pitmasters Live stakeholders. Ang, along with 17 other co-accused, now faces arrest warrants for kidnapping with homicide, as well as charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.