Singer Gerald Santos disclosed yesterday that he was raped 19 years ago by a musical director affiliated with a TV network.
“Ako po ay hindi po na-harass, hindi po na-abuse… Ako ay na-rape po. Na-rape po ako, your honor,” Santos stated during his testimony before the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media. (“I was not harassed or merely abused… I was raped. I was raped, your honor.”)
The incident reportedly took place in 2005 when Santos was 15 years old. He chose not to reveal the identity of the perpetrator.
Santos explained that he had remained silent for fear of reprisal until he eventually filed an internal complaint in 2010. He noted that there was no clear resolution to his complaint.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada added that GMA had terminated the musical director involved. Santos confirmed he had asked to be released from his contract with GMA Artist Center, but was simply advised to move on from the incident.
”Hiyang hiya po talaga ako lalo na po nung panahon na ‘yun dahil nung dinulog ko po ito noon yung mga nasa loob ay parang dinissmiss lang nila yung sinabi ko ay parang mag move on ka na lang kasi, ah, kalakaran yan dito. Nile-label pa po nila ako na homophobic daw ako kaya ko nirereklamo ‘yung tao,” he said. (“I was really embarrassed, especially during that time, because when I brought it up before, the people inside seemed to just dismiss what I said, as if they were saying, ‘Just move on; that’s just how things are done here.’ They were even calling me homophobic for complaining about the person.”)
“I was only fifteen years old at that time, your honors, so wala po talaga akong lakas ng loob nung mangyari po yung pang aabuso po sa akin. Wala po akong lakas ng loob talaga.
Contestant pa lang po ako noon, may power talaga po sya over us, over me, kaya hindi ko po nasabi talaga agad. Even though sinabi ko po sa parents ko ‘yan, galit na galit po sila iyak na lang po kami ng iyak, particularly lolo ko po kinamatayan na nga po ng lolo ko ‘yan dahil sa sasama ng loob niya,” he also said. (“I was only fifteen years old at that time, Your Honors, so I really didn’t have the courage when the abuse happened to me. I truly had no courage. I was just a contestant back then, and he really had power over us, over me, which is why I couldn’t speak up right away. Even though I told my parents about it, they were very angry and we just cried and cried. Particularly, my grandfather, who passed away because of his distress over it.”)
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked the Department of Justice whether Santos could still file a rape complaint given that the incident occurred over a decade ago.
State Counsel Nancy Lozano clarified that rape cases typically have a 20-year statute of limitations. However, she added, “I’ll confirm since he was a minor at the time, which might extend the limitation period.” — (GFCT)
