Richard Gutierrez admits having baby with Sarah Lahbati

MANILA, Philippines – Richard Gutierrez finally admitted he is now a father.

In the pilot episode of the E! reality show “It Takes Gutz to be a Gutierrez” aired Sunday, June 1, the 30-year-old actor said he is a proud dad to baby Zion with girlfriend Sarah Lahbati. 

“A lot of people had their own speculations, they had their own stories in their minds. A lot of people think Sarah left the country because we're having a baby and she's pregnant,” Richard said. “I just want to set the record straight and tell everyone I'm a proud father to baby Zion.”

Richard said they found out about the pregnancy in Paris.

It has been widely reported previously that Richard and Sarah already have a baby, but the two were mum on the matter. In the reality show, Richard explained he wanted to “share baby Zion with everyone” in their own terms.  

“The main reason why I didn't want to announce that I'm having a baby with Sarah is that we didn't want to make Sarah's pregnancy a tabloid circus,” he said. “We get to share baby Zion with everyone in our own terms." 

The 30-year-old revealed he was scared upon finding out about the pregnancy. 

“How am I gonna tell my parents? How is Sarah gonna tell her mom and her dad?” he said. 

In past interviews, both Richard and Sarah refused to confirm nor deny the reports about their baby, saying there is a “right time” to answer questions about the issue.

“Pero abangan n'yo na lang. Right now, marami ngang nangyayari sa buhay namin ni Sarah. I think there will be a perfect time sa kung ano man yung inaabangan ninyong sasagutin namin,” Richard said late last year during the announcement of their family reality show.

“Ito na lang, lahat ng bagay ay may right timing... may tamang panahon,” Sarah said in an interview earlier this year.

In an interview with the press earlier this week during the red carpet preview for “It Takes Gutz to be a Gutierrez,” Richard said: “Now, everything is good, wala na kaming mga problema. So now is the perfect time time to answer.”

Richard and Sarah became a couple in 2012 after working together in the GMA-7 soap opera “Makapiling Kang Muli.”