Showbiz reporters Gorgy Rula and Salve Asis recently saw Gretchen Barretto eating lunch at a Mandaluyong City hotel after the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped the prosecution against her in connection with the missing sabungeros case.

Wearing an all-black outfit and practically face-covering spectacles, she greeted Rula and Asis warmly and had a brief talk in typical Barretto flair.
“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,” Asis wrote.

When they asked Barretto if she would be going back into show business anytime soon, she gave a succinct response that implied a private life away from the spotlight: “Peaceful, quiet life.”
“No more problems, no more unnecessary stress,” said one of their friends, to whom Barretto bluntly replied, “Yes!”

Having dealt with family disputes and celebrity feuds in the past, Barretto is no stranger to public drama and scandal. She has also acted in television shows, films, and teleseryes.
Businessman Atong Ang and Barretto were named by whistleblower Dondon Patidongan in July 2025 as being among those suspected of kidnapping missing sabungeros. Along with Eric Dela Rosa and Celso Salazar, he accused them of masterminding the case of more than 100 missing sabungeros, including 34. Since then, Barretto has denied Patidongan’s accusations through her attorney, Alma Mallonga, stating that her client “has no relevant knowledge” of the disappearances and that the accusations are based only on suspicion.

A criminal prosecution against her and other Pitmasters Live stakeholders was dropped by the DOJ in December of last year. Along with 17 other co-accused, Ang is currently facing charges of kidnapping and significant illegal detention in addition to arrest warrants for kidnapping with homicide.

Following her statements, many longtime supporters took to social media to express admiration for her decision.