Singer Gerald Santos reveals a musical director raped him when he was 15
OPM singer Gerald Santos revealed that he was allegedly raped by a former musical director of a television network in 2005 when he was still a minor.
On Aug. 19, Santos publicly disclosed his accusations against GMA Network’s former musical director during the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media’s hearing, which investigates allegations of abuse and harassment in the entertainment industry.
“Ako po ay hindi po na-harass, hindi po na-abuse. Ako ay na-rape po. Na-rape po ako, your honor,” Santos said. "I was only 15 years old at that time so wala po talaga akong lakas ng loob nung nangyari."
“For 19 years, kineep ko lamang ito dahil sa takot ko nga po, sa kahihiyan. Hiyang-hiya po talaga ako lalo na noon dahil ‘yong grupo na nasa loob ay parang dini-dissmiss lang nila ‘yong sinabi ko,” he added.
Santos also revealed that his attempts to file a complaint against the unnamed musical director were futile, as several powerful individuals merely advised him to “move on.”
“After po no’ng nagreklamo ako sa GMA, natanggal po ako [...]. Hirap na hirap po ako kung paano ko itataguyod pamilya ko,” Santos lamented.
Weeks before his senate hearing, he also expressed on Facebook his support for Sandro Muhlach, who recently filed a criminal complaint against GMA’s contractors for alleged sexual abuse.
GMA issues statement
GMA Network released a statement on Aug. 19 evening following Santos' testimony, saying that it is against all forms of abuse.
"Hindi kinukunsinti ng GMA ang anumang uri ng pang-aabuso sa mga artista, personalidad, empleyado, independent contractors, at iba pang stakeholders into," the statement read.
The network added that when it received Santos' formal complaint in 2010, it conducted an investigation and terminated the accused musical director.
It added that the formal complaint Santos filed in 2010 is different from the rape accusation he said before the Senate panel.
"Ngayon lang din nakarating sa kaalaman ng pamunuan ng GMA ang bagay na ito," GMA said in the statement.
GMA also clarified that it did not terminate Santos.
"Siya mismo ang humingi ng early release mula sa kanyang management contract noong 2010, na pinagbigyan ng GMA. Sa parehong taon ay agad din siyang lumabas sa ibang TV network. Dagdag pa rito, sumubok ding bumalik si Gerald sa GMA matapos ang kanyang kontrata sa TV5 noong 2013."