Possibly for some good reasons, the mass media and social media discussions about GMA-7 actor Sandro Muhlach’s allegation of sexual abuse by two GMA 7 independent contractors have stopped as of this writing.
If the discussion stops growing and intensifying, it will also cease overshadowing the Kapuso network’s publicity and promotions for its latest series, Pulang Lupa. The alleged ignoble acts of creative executives Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz could counteract the much-publicized astonishing performances of the main actors in the series, which primarily deals with the patriotism and bravery of Filipinos during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in the early 1940s.
The cast is led by Alden Richards, Rhian Ramos, Dennis Trillo, Barbie Forteza and David Licauco.
Write-ups about Richards these days should include an update in one or two paragraphs about his role as the lead actor in Hello, Love, Again. This sequel to his and Kathryn Bernardo’s Hello, Love, Goodbye is now co-produced by GMA 7, unlike their original film, which was produced solely by ABS-CBN.
Investigation
The latest update on Sandro’s case is that he and his father, actor Niño Muhlach, filed a complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation on 1 August. The agency has yet to release the results of their investigation, which could provide a basis for Sandro to file a criminal case against Nones and Cruz.
The Kapuso network disclosed earlier that they had started their own investigation before announcing that Sandro is the alleged victim of sexual abuse by two GMA executives, who were only hinted at through so-called “blind items” in social media postings. GMA-7 later revealed in a public statement that the two TV executives are “independent contractors at GMA-7,” meaning they are not regular executives or employees.
Though still on health leave to recuperate from a stroke, GMA 7 newscaster and public affairs program host Arnold Clavio posted on his Instagram an appeal to those who have been victimized by sexual predators to come out and seek justice. No, he wasn’t referring to anyone from his home network.
Around the same time, Miss Saigon theater actor Gerald Santos posted on his Instagram that he sympathizes with Sandro and wishes him to receive the justice he was denied when he was a regular singer on GMA-7 shows. In 2010, Santos complained to management that he was sexually abused by the show’s musical director.
The case was only administratively resolved with the firing of the musical director. Santos did not make further complaints, as his singing career was still unstable. Santos was the grand champion of the network’s singing contest Pinoy Pop Idol in 2006.
He now feels that if there had been a dynamic and ferocious social media presence in 2010, many would have called for justice for what he went through. He encourages victims to come forward in this era of very vocal and liberal netizens.
Statement
The two independent contractors have not personally addressed the accusations publicly except at their lawyer’s office, Margie Abraham-Garduque. If her name sounds familiar, it’s because she is the lawyer for Television and Production Exponents Inc., more popularly known as TAPE, the former producer of the noontime show Eat Bulaga! on GMA-7 as a blocktimer. The family corporation had to relinquish the show and its extremely popular title to the trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon, who had been the show’s hosts for more than three decades. TAPE lost the rights to use the name Eat Bulaga! for the noontime show they were producing on GMA-7.
Garduque did not encourage Nones and Cruz to face the public and deny the accusations. Instead, she released a statement on their behalf, asking the public to wait for GMA-7’s investigation so that Nones and Cruz will know exactly what they are being accused of. The two executives had not received any communication from GMA-7 at the time the network published their names as the alleged sexual abusers.
Garduque has urged the public to “respect the investigation” and “refrain from posting baseless defamatory allegations.”
“Our clients are deeply saddened by the serious allegations hurled against them circulating on social media,” she stressed.
The duo does not appear to be prominent attendees at GMA-7 events. There seems to be only one photo of them together in formal black suits, which appears to have been taken at the recent GMA-7 Gala in a hotel where Sandro was also in attendance. It is not yet clear if the room the duo requested Sandro to go to after the event was in the same hotel.
Recollection
Sandro’s published account to his dad about what occurred is that he was handed a drink, sipped from it and then passed out. He said he regained consciousness only because a waiter was called to the room for another round of drinks. When he opened his eyes, he saw one of the two executives touching different parts of his body. There were no other stars present in the room from the GMA Gala.
The actor recalled to his dad that he insisted on leaving because his girlfriend had been waiting for him.
The two executives are reportedly suspended while the investigation is ongoing.
Will Sandro’s status as an adult (he is already 23) affect the case being investigated?
While we are writing this, no actual case has been announced as filed by Sandro or his parents against the two.
Another alleged victim of sexual molestation “sa isang TV network” (at a TV network) is being encouraged by some people to speak up. This is according to Jojo Gabinete in a report featuring blind items (no names mentioned) on the website www.pep.ph, which is headed by veteran socio-political journalist Jo Ann Maglipon.
Members of the Muhlach showbiz clan have also temporarily stopped posting what appear to be threats to those responsible for what Sandro went through.
Aga Muhlach is a first-degree cousin of Niño, but Aga has never commented on the controversy. The same goes for his twin adult children, Atasha and Andres, who now star with him and his wife, Charlene Gonzales, in Pers Family, a sitcom on TV5.