Some entertainment insiders want activist/filmmaker Joel Lamangan to become either an advocate of anti-sexual abuse of showbiz stars or a leader for its tolerance as a stepping stone to bigtime stardom.

For some days now, yarns from showbiz journos and other outspoken showbiz personalities have dealt with Lamangan allegedly committing sexual abuses on young actors. The yarn resulted from GMA-7 Sparkle actor Ahron Villena’s “blind” report on his Instagram about a film director whom he claimed to have touched his genitals. This alleged exploitative touching occurred when the director took over some production assistants’ task of putting plaster on the actor’s most private parts to prevent these from showing up in a scene for a film that the director was making. 

Villena did not name the filmmaker but Bong Godinez of the entertainment website PEP.ph reported that the actor must be referring to Lamangan because Villena clearly mentioned on his Instagram about a director interviewed by three PEP columnists who call themselves Troika. In that interview, he asserted that these incidents have long existed in the film industry and have led to the young actors making it to glorious stardom. 

The Troika quoted Lamangan blurting out: “Matagal na ang mga ganyan; luma na ang mga kasong yan. Hindi naman ‘yan bago (Those are old news; it’s nothing new).”

Intoned Villena in his rant, addressed to the director: “Parang proud na proud ka pa sa mga ginawa mong (It seems you’re even so proud of your) sexual exploitation!”

Another PEP report quoted film director Darryl Yap as saying on Instagram that Villena was actually referring to Lamangan. 

In the Troika’s latest interview with Lamangan, they quote him as stressing that he was just telling the truth and he did not intend to hurt anyone in that interview.

“Sinagot ko lang ang tanong n’yo sa akin (I just answered your question)!” the Troika quoted the filmmaker.

As of this writing, the last words about this issue were cast by Dennis Evangelista, Lamangan’s frequent line producer for his films. Evangelista proclaimed on his Facebook account that Lamangan is too busy “para pumatol kung kani-kanino (to pay attention to just anyone)” about issues all and sundry.

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