Ex-GMA artist Gerald Santos claims rape by musical director in 2005

Singer-actor Gerald Santos on Monday told the Senate Committee on Public Information that he was raped by a former musical director of GMA Network, Inc. in 2005.

Santos made the disclosure at the committee's inquiry into the policies of television networks and artist management agencies about complaints of abuse and harassment.

"Ako po ay hindi po na-harass, hindi po na-abuse, ako po ay na-rape po," a crying Santos told the Senate panel.

(I was not harassed, I was not abused. I was raped.)

Santos said he was ready to share his story before the committee but added he was afraid of retaliation.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, citing the documents he obtained, said the musical director had been suspended and terminated from GMA.

Atty. Angelo Diokno of GMA's legal department said during the inquiry that the company had strict policies against sexual harassment and that it had no history of cover-up.

"GMA has had the policy against sexual harassment. We have been strict about it. Again, we have never covered up any incident of sexual harassment," Diokno said.

"If they say the department is not acting on it, they can go directly to legal, to [Human Resources], or to the Office of the President. So there are different avenues," he added.

"Legal is very active on the matter. We do not encourage any form of cover-up. In fact, if there is someone that is covering up the matter, we also file administrative case against them," Diokno said.

GMA Network, Inc. has also released the following statement:

"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.

"Alinsunod dito ang naging aksyon ng Network matapos nitong matanggap ang formal complaint ni Gerald Santos noong 2010. Agad nagsagawa ng imbestigasyon at matapos nito ay agaran ding ipinatupad ng Network ang nararapat na parusa sa inakusahan. Tinerminate ng GMA ang kontrata ng inakusahan, at hindi na rin siya muling kinuha o binigyan ng trabaho pagkatapos nito.

"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.

"Nais ding linawin ng GMA ang naging pahayag ni Gerald na natanggal siya sa Network. Siya mismo ang humiling ng early release mula sa kanyang management contract noong 2010, na pinagbigyan ng GMA. Sa parehong taon ay agad din siyang lumabas sa ibang TV network. Dagdag pa rito, sumubok ding bumalik si Gerald sa GMA matapos ang kanyang kontrata sa TV5 noong 2013."

Santos did not reveal further details about the alleged rape.

"2005 po nangyari at nilabas ko po ito noong 2010... I was only 15 that time so wala po talaga akong lakas ng loob...Contestant pa lang po ako noon and may power po talaga siya over us, over me kaya hindi ko po nasabi talaga agad," Santos said.

(It was 2005 when it happened and I revealed this in 2010... I was only 15 then and I was afraid... I was just a contestant and he had power over us, over me. This is the reason I was not able to reveal sooner.)

According to Santos, he did not file a case immediately after the incident because of "fear" and "embarrassment."

Santos said the musical director's connections still affected his career.

He confirmed that he had asked for release from GMA Artist Center and that he be handled by the GMA Network. He eventually transferred to another network.

"Una kasi naming sinumbong ang aking reklamo sa GMA Artist Center and wala po silang action na ginawa. Sila po ang nagsasabi noon na mag-move on na lang," Santos said.

"Kaya po sabi namin ma-release ako sa GMA Artist Center at maging under nalang ng network baka maging better 'yung aking estado sa network," he added.

(We first told GMA Artist Center of the incident but they didn't act on it. They were the ones who told us to just move on. That's why we sought release from GMA Artist Center and just be under the network hoping I'd be better off with the network.)

Asked if he wanted to seek legal action against the persons involved in the incident, Santos said he wanted to do so but he was afraid of the consquences.

“Dumating po talaga sa point na parang gusto ko na rin pong tapusin  'yung buhay ko kasi ako rin po ang breadwinner ng family ko. Hirap na hirap po talaga ako kung pano ko itataguyod ang family ko na napigilan po yung mga opporunities po sa akin,” he added.

(It came to a point that I wanted to btake my life because I was also the breadwinner. It was diffiçult to support my family because the opportunities that came my way were affected.) —NB, GMA Integrated News