Singer-actor Gerald Santos has revisited his traumatic experiences from over a decade ago, sharing his story in a recent YouTube video.
His decision to speak out was influenced by the ongoing discussions surrounding abuse cases involving Niño and Sandro Muhlach.
In his August 5 video, Santos revealed that his own experiences with abuse resurfaced following recent events. Known for his victory on ‘Pinoy Pop Superstar’ Season 2 in 2006, Santos faced a sexual harassment issue shortly after his win.
“Hindi na po lingid sa inyong kaalaman, ito pong issue na lumabas kamakailan lamang po. At alam niyo po nung nabasa ko at nalaman ko itong issue na ito, e, talaga naman po ako ay nanlumo at sobrang nalungkot at nasaktan at bumalik po yung trauma sa akin dun sa personal experience ko rin na naranasan,” Santos said. He expressed solidarity with Sandro Muhlach and acknowledged the difficulty of confronting abuse publicly. “At ito po ang issue about kay Mr. Sandro Muhlach, at tulad nga nung sinabi ko dun sa post ko ay ang puso ko po goes to the whole Muhlach family and kay Mr. Sandro Muhlach. At hindi po madali ang kanyang pinagdaanan. At napakahirap pong mag-stand up kapagka may nangyari sa inyong ganito,” he added.
Santos criticized those who have advised him to “move on,” arguing that such comments undermine the gravity of abuse experiences. “Ang ganyang mindset ng mga tao ang dahilan kung bakit po natatakot yung mga katulad ko, katulad ni Mr. Sandro, at yung iba pang mga biktima na magsalita,” he explained.
He also recounted how his complaints about the abuse were dismissed by network executives and associates. “Ganun po ba kadali yun na i-reveal? Hindi niyo po personal na naramdaman at naranasan yung naranasan namin kaya ang dali sabihin na ‘move on.’ And yan exactly noong time na yun, alam niyo noong nireklamo ko ito doon sa network, may mga executives kaming kinausap, ako at si Kuya Rommel [Ramillo], ang aking manager. ‘Yan ang statements nila before na ‘move on.’ Even yung mga hindi executives na mga kakilala namin, parang yun yung mindset na mali. Mali po,” Santos said.
Despite the challenges, Santos expressed gratitude for the support he received from his manager, which helped him keep his career afloat. “Kasi nung time na yun, TV lang po ang buhay ng artista or ng singer. Kung wala ka sa TV that time ay good as wala kang career. Nagbalik lamang po sa akin yung struggles din, yung hirap na just to keep my career afloat,” he noted.
Santos used his platform to advise newcomers in the industry to stay true to their talents and avoid compromising their values. “Dahil ako po ay naniniwala sa aking kakayanan, naniniwala po ako sa aking talento, even at that early age. So sana, yun po yung tandaan, yun po yung maipapayo ko sa mga newbie na kung kayo ay may paniniwala sa inyong mga talento, sa inyong mga sarili, hindi niyo po kailangan na gawin yan, na kumapit kayo sa patalim or anything,” he urged.
He also expressed empathy for those who might find themselves in similar compromising situations, acknowledging the complexity of individual circumstances. “But not to judge them, not to judge yung mga ganong mga nagdaan sa ganun, dahil hindi natin alam yung mga pinagdaanan nila. Siguro yung iba sa kanila ay nawalan na lang talaga ng choice. My heart goes to you guys,” Santos concluded.
