While the Coco-Julia fans rejoiced after Coco Martin finally confirmed his relationship with Julia Montes, several netizens raised their eyebrows over a case of “relationship grooming.”
During the special premiere of the ABS-CBN-GMA collaboration project Unbreak My Heart on May 23, Martin and Montes, who went together, were asked about the status of their relationship.
“Napakasarap ng pakiramdam namin dahil 12 years na kaming magkasama, pero pareho pa rin tulad ng dati. Nilo-look forward namin kapag may project na magkasama kami and then kapag may pagkakataon, nakakalabas kami, nakikita kami ng mga tao pero name-maintain namin ang privacy sa buhay namin,” he said.
“Basta kami, hindi naman na kaming mga bata. Kung ano ‘yung nakikita at iniisip ng mga tao, ‘yun na ‘yun. Mas masarap ‘yung pakiramdam na pribado ang buhay namin, tahimik. Walang mga issue. Ito, masaya kami,” Martin added.
The revelation didn’t sit well with some netizens, who accused the Kapamilya primetime king of being a groomer.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, grooming is “an act to form a relationship with (a child or young person) to sexually assault them.”
@zotbri tweeted, “The fact that Julia was 16 when they started dating? Ok, let’s stop romanticizing grooming and predatory behavior.”
The fact that Julia was 16 when they started dating? Ok, let's stop romanticizing grooming and predatory behavior https://t.co/Tu2I9Xjels
— zot (@zotbri_) May 23, 2023
@miaaasans also tweeted, highlighting the big age gap between Martin and Montes.
“12 years ago, Julia Montes was 16 and Coco Martin was 29.”
12 years ago, Julia Montes was 16 and Coco Martin was 29. 🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/HsUGAdt2TY
— miaaasans (@miaaasans) May 23, 2023
Social media influencer, @dumidyeypee also reacted with: “She was 16 (sad emoji).”
She was 16 🙁 https://t.co/u4gFNkAng7
— JP 🔊 (@dumidyeypee) May 23, 2023
@lilyganados, meanwhile, defended Coco, stating that Julia admitted in an interview in 2012 that she’s dating another Kapamilya actor Enchong Dee, so she and Coco couldn’t be in a relationship at that time.
“Okay naghalungkat ako naging magka MU si julia at enchong around 2012 so malabong sila ni Coco nung mga panahon na ito… January 24 2013 ang article. Julia was 17 back then and will turn 18 in less than 2 months..”
Okay naghalungkat ako naging magka MU si julia at enchong around 2012 so malabong sila ni Coco nung mga panahon na ito… January 24 2013 ang article. Julia was 17 back then and will turn 18 in less than 2 months..https://t.co/sG4reXjdkM
— Lightning Bolt Mother Lily-Yoo (@lilyganados) May 23, 2023
In another tweet, @liliganados explained that the 12 years mentioned by the FPJ’s Batang Quiapo star are the time they started working together as on-screen partners and not their romantic relationship.
“Exactly, sino ba kasi nagsabi na 12 years na relasyon nakakaloka. Ang intindi ko sa magkasama is yung first team up nila kasi ang sumunod na sentence about working kineso.”
On the other hand, @jdzhurd counters @liliganados by sharing Martin and Montes’ interview for FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, where he admits that he tried to court Julia when she was 13 years old.
The netizen remarked, “Coco tried to court her when she’s 13, she rejected him. the mere fact na nagtangka si Coco sa age na ganon, di ba yun mali?”
coco tried to court her when she's 13, she rejected him. the mere fact na nagtangka si Coco sa age na ganon, di ba yun mali?
— je (@jdzhurd) May 23, 2023
Taking into consideration the date, in 2012, the legal age of consent was 12 years old.
It was only in March 2022 that former President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the bill raising the sexual age of consent to 16.
However, many netizens still argued that it might be okay in the eyes of the law but still not okay through the lens of morality.
