Singer-actor Gerald Santos is resolute in his quest for justice, determined to hold accountable the musical director he claims raped him when he was just 15 years old.
Santos made headlines after revealing during a Senate hearing on public information and mass media that he was not merely a victim of harassment or abuse but was, in fact, raped.
“Ako po ay hindi po na-harass, hindi po na-abuse. Ako ay na-rape po. Na-rape po ako, your honor,” Santos bravely declared during the Senate session. “Handa po akong ikwento dito ang nangyari, pero ako po ay natatakot na baka po ako ay balikan ng mga taong ito.”
The singer-actor admitted that he had kept the incident hidden for 19 years due to fear and shame. He also disclosed that some powerful individuals had dismissed his claims and even accused him of being homophobic.
“I was only 15 years old at that time your honors kaya wala pa po akong lakas ng loob noon. Contestant pa lang po ako noon. Kaya di ko nasabi agad…sa parents ko na iyak na lang nang iyak. Kinamatayan na ng lolo ko sa sama ng loob niya kasi di po ako nabigyan ng katarungan po,” Santos recounted.
In light of Santos’ revelations, GMA Network issued an official statement reaffirming its stance against all forms of abuse and clarifying the actions it took following Santos’ complaint in 2010.
“Naninindigan ang GMA Network laban sa lahat ng uri ng pang-aabuso. Hindi kinukunsinti ng GMA ang anumang uri ng pang-aabuso sa mga artista, personalidad, empleyado, independent contractors, at iba pang stakeholders nito. Agad nagsagawa ng imbestigasyon at matapos nito ay agaran ding ipinatupad ng Network ang nararapat na parusa sa inakusahan. Ngunit ang nilalaman ng formal complaint na inihain ni Gerald noong 2010 ay naiiba sa akusasyon niya ng rape na binanggit niya sa Senado. Ngayon lang din nakarating sa kaalaman ng pamunuan ng GMA ang bagay na ito,” the statement read.
GMA Network also clarified that Santos had requested an early release from his management contract in 2010, contradicting claims that he was removed from the Network. Santos later transferred to another TV network and even attempted to return to GMA after his contract with TV5 ended in 2013.
In response, Santos took to Facebook to address the statement from GMA Network, emphasizing that his issue was not with the Network itself but with certain individuals within the organization.
“Para lang sa kalinawan matapos ang official statement ng GMA…Uulitin ko po na nagpapa release ako sa GMA Artist Center. Bilang manager ko po that time ay tila wala na silang plano sa akin at walang mga projects na naka-line up para sa akin,” Santos wrote.
He explained that he moved to TV5 because a job was waiting for him there, but he needed release papers from GMA. He stressed that if his request for work had been granted, he would not have left GMA Network, as he had always considered himself a “Kapuso.”
“THE FACT NA TINANGGAL NILA ANG AKING INAKUSAHAN AY NANGANGAHULUGANG MAY PROBABLE CAUSE. PERO WALA KMI NATANGGAP NA OFFICIAL REPLY MULA SA KANILA KAYA AFTER ONE YEAR AY SUMULAT ANG MANAGER KO SA KANILA,” Santos stated, using the hashtag #resibo to underscore his evidence.
