OPM singer Gerald Santos on Monday, Aug. 19, revealed he was raped by a musical director of a television network when he was 15 years old.
Gerald, now 33, made the revelation during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which is conducting an investigation into sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/19/opm-singer-gerald-santos-ako-po-ay-na-rape
Gerald, now 33, made the revelation during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which is conducting an investigation into sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/19/opm-singer-gerald-santos-ako-po-ay-na-rape
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NewsTranscript
00:00Your Honours, actually, I was not harassed. I was not abused.
00:15I thought you were harassed.
00:17I was raped.
00:19You were raped?
00:20I was raped, Your Honour.
00:22By the musical director?
00:24Yes.
00:25There are a lot of definitions of rape, you know.
00:31How did you say it's rape?
00:33I have a lot to tell about what happened here.
00:40But I am afraid that these people will come back to me.
00:49I will ask for your help, Senator Ginggoy and Senator Robin,
00:57so that I can have the strength to tell my story.
01:07For 19 years, I only dreamed of this.
01:13Because of my fear and shame,
01:26I was really ashamed, especially at that time.
01:29When this happened, the people inside me were dismissing what I said.
01:44They told me to move on.
01:49They thought I was here.
01:52They made fun of me for being homophobic.
01:56That's why I'm complaining.
01:59I was only 15 years old at that time, Your Honour.
02:09I didn't have a strong heart.
02:12When the abuse happened to me, I didn't have a strong heart.
02:19I was just a contestant.
02:23I was just a contestant.
02:24I was just a contestant.
02:26He had power over me.
02:30That's why I didn't give up.
02:34When I told my parents, they were very angry.
02:38My grandfather cried.
02:41My grandfather died because of his bad intentions.
02:46Two years after, my grandfather died because of his bad intentions.
02:51My grandfather died because of his bad intentions.
02:55That's what happened to me.
03:21It's 20 years.
03:23I'll check because he is a minor when the crime was committed.
03:28Maybe his prescriptive period is longer.
03:32But for grave offenses, it's 20 years.
03:37I'll check the exact years.
03:40Mr. Santos, are you contemplating filing charges against the political director?
03:45Yes, Your Honour.
03:46I've been wanting this for a long time.
03:49That's why I'm afraid.
03:51I have no means.
03:53Your Honour, I'm begging you.
03:57I'm begging you.
04:00This was just hidden from me.
04:05Your Honour, after we filed a complaint with the GMA,
04:15I was removed from the GMA.
04:17My career was ruined.
04:24My manager, my brother, and I were here.
04:30That's why we are still investigating in aid of legislation.
04:35I've heard, being a person of showbiz, together with Senator Robbins,
04:41this has been prevalent since the 90s.
04:45That's why we're crafting, we're going to submit,
04:49maybe the committee of Senator Robbins is going to submit a committee report
04:53with regard to stopping sexual harassment within the movie industry.
05:01This has been going on since the early 90s.
05:06Yes, that's what happened.
05:09Not just men, even women.
05:12Even women, not just men.
05:15Yes, we are very brave.
05:18I'm just thankful that my interviews,
05:23I've said many times that I want to give up.
05:27I want to give up.
05:29It has come to the point where I want to end my life.
05:35I don't know what to do with my family.
05:38It's really hard for me to face my family.
05:43The opportunities have been blocked for me.
05:46How are you now?
05:48As of now, I don't have...
05:50You left the GMA7.
05:52Didn't you go to TV5?
05:54You were asking for a release from GMA7, correct?
05:59Yes.
06:01You transferred to TV5.
06:03What happened there?
06:05They gave me the opportunity to do a show.
06:09It was their weekly show.
06:11But eventually, the shows didn't prosper and I was also disbanded.
06:16You were disbanded. What happened?
06:17Yes.
06:19I was able to enter the theater.
06:23Thankfully, my second win came when I was given the opportunity to join Miss Saigon.
06:32I was able to join Miss Saigon.
06:34That's when my confidence was restored.
06:39It was almost destroyed.
06:42I was able to prevent my opportunities here in the Philippines.
06:50Thankfully, I was given an opportunity in the international stage.
06:54Very good.
06:56Anyway, you have your lawyer beside you, top-notch lawyer beside you, Atty. Pacho.
07:01Thank you to my friend, Atty. Pacho.
07:04We will not prevent you from filing a rape case against your accuser, against your musical director.
07:17That is your prerogative.
07:19You seek advice from your lawyer.
07:20I seek advice from your lawyer.
07:22I apologize.
07:24The attorney only gave me time for now.
07:30She is my legal counsel for now.
07:32After this, I need to look for my legal counsel for the case.
07:42I hope you can help me, Senator Gingo and Senator Robin.
07:52I'm talking to you because I'm afraid.
07:57I was able to prevent my career progress here in the Philippines.
08:04Now that I'm speaking, I don't know what they should do.
08:08What do you mean you were able to prevent your progress in the network?
08:13You were the one who asked for a release, right?
08:17You were the one who wanted to be removed from the GMA.
08:21You have a letter.
08:24Your Honor, I was released from the GMA Artist Center.
08:30We wanted to be removed from the GMA network itself.
08:35Actually, we filed a complaint with the GMA Artist Center.
08:42That was the action they took.
08:45They said they will move on.
08:49That's why we decided to be released from the GMA Artist Center.
08:53We will be under the network.
08:57Maybe my status in the network will be better.
09:08I have a copy of the letter of your lawyer.
09:11Notice of rescission of GMA Artist Management Agreement.
09:15You were the one who wanted to be released.
09:18From the Artist Center, sir.
09:23That's what builds up the artists, right? The Artist Center.
09:28There are artists under the GMA network itself.
09:33So you were released from the Artist Center.
09:36From the Artist Management.
09:38But you were under the GMA network at that time.
09:44Unfortunately, GMA has failed to perform its obligation under the agreement as discussed in Mr. Santos' letter dated February 9, 2010.
09:53On the basis of the above, our client has decided to rescind the agreement.
09:59Accordingly, this letter constitutes formal notice of rescission of the agreement effective upon receipt hereof.
10:11As far as I know, you were the one who wanted to leave the GMA Artist Center.
10:15As long as GMA took action on your complaint, the musical director was removed because of your charge that you were sexually harassed.
10:28Yes. But that was only in the GMA Artist Center.
10:32We said in the letter that we want to be under the GMA network.
10:39What did they say?
10:41They didn't say anything. They just released me.
10:45Anyway, you have your lawyer there beside you.
10:50You can seek advice from your lawyer if you want to file a rape case against the musical director.
10:58That's your call. That's your prerogative.
11:01Yes, Your Honor. Thank you.
11:03Thank you, Mr. Santos.
11:07Where is Mr. Mulac?
11:15Thank you, Your Honor.