Antoinette Jadaone, Frankie Pangilinan speak up amid Juan Miguel Severo sexual harassment allegations
Antoinette Jadaone (L) and Frankie Pangilinan. Images: Facebook/@antoinette.jadaone, Instagram/@frankiepangilinan
Friends and colleagues of “Gaya Sa Pelikula” (GSP) creator Juan Miguel Severo have broken silence amid the latter’s alleged sexual harassment issue a few days after Paolo Pangilinan’s series of cryptic tweets.
For one, director Antoinette Jadaone, Severo’s co-host on “Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast,” condemned sexual harassment and admitted needing time to “reflect” on the issue first before putting out new episodes.
“Una sa lahat (First of all), apologies for speaking up just now. I wanted to personally talk to those involved who are close to me, hear both sides, in hopes of having a clearer understanding first before speaking,” Jadaone posted on the podcast’s public Facebook group yesterday, June 23.
“Sexual harassment is very serious and should not be taken lightly. Tulad n’yo, in shock din ako at nalulungkot sa mga nangyayari (Like you, I am in shock and saddened by the events),” Jadaone added. “Hindi ko rin alam ang kabuuan ng kwento (I also don’t know the full story), but I know that when a victim speaks up, we must listen, and empathize, kahit na o lalo na kung malapit sa atin ang involved (even though or more so when the person involved is close to us).”
“Sexual harassment and abuse are never okay and must not be justified,” she stressed.
Image: screengrab from Facebook/@antoinette.jadaone
She then addressed the future of the “Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast” to fans and stressed that the podcast is hers too amid the issue surrounding her co-host.
“Sa mga nagtatanong about the podcast: wait lamang (To those asking about the podcast: just wait). This is my baby too, and the community we have all built has become a respite for me,” Jadaone said.
“Pero sa palagay ko, mas mahalaga sa puntong ito na mag-reflect muna (But I think that it is more important at this point to reflect first), and clear some space to listen to the voices that need to be heard. I hope you understand,” she added.
“Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast” is Jadaone and Severo’s Spotify-exclusive podcast under Globe Studios. It premiered in May 2020 and so far has 103 episodes.
Jadaone did not directly mention Severo’s name in her statement and no legal action on the issue has been made public, as of writing.
Paolo Pangilinan, one of “GSP” stars, on June 20 posted a series of tweets saying he was harassed by someone “in a position of power” but also did not name Severo.
Netizens, however, pointed to the “GSP” creator as the harasser while Severo himself has yet to address the accusations and has only deactivated his Twitter account.
Kakie: Support the rest of the ‘GSP’ team
Singer-composer Frankie “Kakie” Pangilinan, a friend of Severo who contributed her song “TYL” to the soundtrack for “GSP,” meanwhile addressed the issue by citing Daniel Radcliffe’s statement on the J.K. Rowling-LGBTQ community issue last year.
“[Sinabi] ‘to ni [Daniel Radcliffe] last year, and [I] think sa mga kapwa-pancake na heartbroken, gusto ko lang ipaalala na anuman ang naging halaga ng ‘GSP’ sa inyo – ‘the warmth it brought to your hearts – that is between you and the story, and it is sacred. [Nobody] can touch that,'” she said via Twitter on June 23, sharing a screenshot of a part of Radcliffe’s statement.
(Daniel Radcliffe said this last year, and to my fellow pancakes who are heartbroken, I just want to remind you that whatever “GSP” has done for you – “the warmth it brought to your hearts – that is between you and the story, and it is sacred. Nobody can touch that.”)
Rowling is the creator of the “Harry Potter” book series that inspired the movies, while Severo is the creator of “GSP.” Despite the seeming parallelism, Kakie did not directly mention Severo’s name.
“GSP has never been about [one] person, and that is its value. let’s please support the rest of the GSP team however way they wish to proceed – they are some of the most beautiful souls [I’ve] ever had the honor of working with. [My] love for them knows no bounds. #SaferSpacesForEveryone,” Kakie said in the following tweet.
GSP has never been about 1 person, and that is its value. let’s please support the rest of the GSP team however way they wish to proceed – they are some of the most beautiful souls i’ve ever had the honor of working with. my love for them knows no bounds. #SaferSpacesForEveryone
— nakakieinis (@kakiep83) June 23, 2021
Prior to the said tweets, Kakie also retweeted Globe Studios head and “GSP” producer Quark Henares’ post yesterday of the “GSP” team photo without Severo, which he captioned: “Atin pa rin ang kwento (The story is still ours).”
Henares and the team behind “GSP” met on June 22 to discuss the future of the show. Yesterday, he revealed via Twitter that while Paolo still wants to continue with “GSP,” they have “considered moving on and finding something else to do together.” JB
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