2 senators see 'strong evidence' vs. accused in Sandro Muhlach case

At least two senators on Monday said that there are strong pieces of evidence against the two accused in the sexual harassment case involving young actor Sandro Muhlach.

Senator Robin Padilla and Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada thus said after the Senate committee on public information and mass media had an executive session with Muhlach's father —Niño Muhlach and the two accused of abuse —GMA Independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz.

"Kanina po na nag-executive session kami, nagpapasalamat po kami sa mga partido na nakausap namin at napagdesisyunan po ng kumite na tunay po na sa tingin po namin na meron pong kaukulan na dahilan para mai-file 'yung kaso," Padilla, chairman of the committee, said.

"Pero syempre po, sa katulad po ng sinasabi namin, hindi naman po kami korte. Sa amin pong palagay, itong aming pagdinig kailangan siyempre may boses ang lahat. Pero doon po sa naganap na Executive Session, malinaw po na sa aming pagkakaintindi na ito po ay makakarating dapat sa dapat karatingan,” he added.

This was backed by Estrada, but he refrained from disclosing further details on the information they got during the executive session.

"Based on the discussions earlier during the executive session, and of course, we cannot divulge...yet the details of what transpired during the executive session, but what we all transpired and agreed, together with Senators Revilla, Padilla, Grace Poe, and Senator Bato dela Rosa, there is a strong evidence against these two gentlemen," Estrada said.

"We will just withhold all the information until all the pieces of evidence that are going to be gathered by NBI are in," he added.

According to Estrada, they have given the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) two days to submit all evidence to the Senate committee.

Before the executive session, Nones and Cruz denied the sexual harassment allegation raised against them.

"Kay Sandro, wala kaming ginawang masama sa'yo at alam mo 'yan! Hindi pa huli ang lahat na magsabi nang totoo," Nones said.

"Hindi po kami gumawa ng kahit anong sexual harassment or abuse laban kay Sandro Muhlach. Sa pagkakataong ito sa harap ninyong lahat, mariing tinatanggi po namin ang lahat ng mapanirang akusasyon na ito laban sa amin," Cruz added.

Muhlach during the hearing bared the text exchange between his son and Nones.

Muhlach insisted on revealing the text conversation of his son and Nones after the two told the media that it was Sandro who first texted them early in the morning of July 21.

According to Muhlach, Nones texted his son at 3:59 a.m. and the conversation went as follows:

Jojo: Hi, Sandro. Saw you kanina, didn’t get to say hi. Nakauwi ka na?

Sandro: Sir Jojo, sorry po. Di po kita nakita kanina. Naka-check in po kami right now sa Marriott, Sir. Hope to see you soonest, Sir Jojo.

Jojo: Enjoy. Still partying. Sino kasama mo?

Sandro: Kumakain lang po right now. Kasama ko po friends ko, sina Ms. Nate and Elijah Alejo.

Jojo: Be safe.

Sandro: Thank you, Sir Jojo. Hope to work with you again. See you soon po.

JOJO: Nabitin ako sa inom hahaha

Sandro: Ako nga rin po eh

JOJO: Yes, soon. Cast kita nagdi-direk ako now

Sandro: Wow, sir. Looking forward to that too

JOJO: Gusto mo ba? We have some alcohol here in the room. We can order some more

Sandro: Saan po kayo, Sir?

JOJO: Belmont Hotel. katabi lang ng Marriot

Sandro: Sinu-sino po kayo, Sir? Hahaha

JOJO: Just me

At this point, Niño Muhlach said Sandro did not reply immediately.

"Syempre, 'yung bata, nakita na siya lang mag-isa, hindi na sumagot. Natakot," he said.

Muhlach continued his narration and said Nones sent another text message to Sandro at 4:27 a.m. informing the latter that Nones was with the "drama people" apparently referring to colleagues.

"Hahaha just kidding, kasama ko the drama [people]. But we’re wrapping up in a bit," said Nones' text message according to Niño Muhlach.

"Siyempre, kahit sinong artista na baguhan, given the chance na makasama mo ang drama [people], you will take the chance dahil pagkakataon mo ‘yun i-market yung sarili mo eh. Makasama sila, maka-party mo," Niño Muhlach remarked.

The conversation continued as follows:

SANDRO: Nandyan pa ba kayo, Sir? Baka po pwedeng dumaan saglit hahahaha

JOJO: Sure, may kasama ka?

SANDRO: No po, ako lang. Kabababa ko lang po sa room ng friends ko

JOJO: Ok, Belmont Hotel. 700B

SANDROL: Okay po, akyat po ako.

At this point, Nones' legal counsel Maggie Abraham-Garduque said that the "there was no denial" from her clients on who texted first.

"There was no denial with respect to that. The only matter that my client was denying was with regard to the invitation," she explained.

But Niño Muhlach insisted that Nones' camp was telling the media that it was Sandro who initiated the conversation.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada echoed Muhlach's position, saying that Nones' camp did not mention to the press that there was a prior conversation before Sandro told them that he will drop by their hotel room.

"You did not mention the prior conversation, the prior text before you came out with that text. Base doon sa text na ‘yun na ipinalalabas ninyo na sige pupunta muna ako dyan saglit," Estrada said.

Estrada pointed out that Sandro would not go to Nones' place if the latter did not mention that there were other people in the hotel room.

"It was not our intention. We just mentioned it as an existent text," Abraham-Garduque said.

At the end of the hearing, Niño Muhlach said he will talk to Sandro about his possible appearance at the Senate inquiry.

According to Niño Muhlach, Sandro wanted to attend but he didn't want to face Cruz and Nones. —LDF/NB, GMA Integrated News