A FORMER talent of the GMA 7, Gerard Santos, on Monday told a Senate public hearing that when he was 15 years old, he was raped by a former musical director of the television network.
Santos was invited as a resource person at the resumption of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media inquiry on the policies of TV networks and artist management agencies with regard to complaints of abuse and harassment.
The probe was conducted amid the alleged sexual harassment of Sandro Muhlach, son of former “child wonder” Niño Muhlach, by director Jojo Nones and writer Richard Cruz, both independent talents of GMA 7.
Gerard Santos. SENATE PHOTO
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked Santos why he was at the Senate inquiry.
In Filipino, Santos replied, ” Actually, I was not harassed; I was not abused. I was raped.”
He said that the incident happened in 2005. He wanted to file charges against his alleged rapist, but some people had told him that the time for filing a case already lapsed.
“I really wanted to file [charges] a long time ago, but I was so afraid, and I don’t have any means,” Santos said in Filipino. Neither Santos nor his alleged abuser are still with the TV network.
The singer claimed that after the incident, he lost many opportunities to perform on TV, which was difficult for his family because he was the breadwinner.
“There were many times that I reached the point [where I wanted] to end my life,” Santos said.
Estrada said, “That’s why we’re here. I heard this has been prevalent since the 1990s. That’s why we’re crafting a law. We won’t prevent you from filing charges against your [former] musical director.”
“Maybe the committee of Sen. Robin Padilla can submit a committee report so that the sexual harassment in the movie industry will be stopped. Not only men; also women [were victimized],” Estrada said in Filipino and English.
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