Gerald Santos stresses his fight is against abusers, not GMA

Gerald Santos. Image: Facebook/Rommel Ramilo (Santos’ manager)

Gerald Santos dropped “receipts” anew to clarify that he only asked for release from his talent management and not from GMA in 2010, with the singer underscoring that he didn’t burn bridges with the network.

Santos, who said he was raped when he was 15 by a then-GMA musical director, set the record straight and gave a more detailed explanation of what happened in 2010—the year he filed a formal complaint at GMA against his alleged abuser.

“Eto po ang resibo na request ko po ay release sa ilalim ng Talent Development and Management Center o ang GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) that time, at hindi sa mismong network,” he said, showing a photo of his letter addressed to then GMA CEO Felipe Gozon.

“Ang gusto ko lang po noon ay magkaron ng ibang manager na makikipag-negotiate para sa akin sa loob ng network at maihanap din ako ng ibang work outside the network kung walang maibibigay na work ang network sa akin,” he stated. “Hindi po ako nag-burn ng bridge sa network.”

Santos further claimed that even before he filed the complaint, he was already removed from the variety show “SOP” in 2009.

The singer said he had no projects for about four months while still under GMAAC, until the late German “Kuya Germs” Moreno called him to be a mainstay of the variety show “Walang Tulugan with The Master Showman.”

“In between po doon sa almost [four] months na wala akong trabaho sa network, ay nakikipag-dialogue kami sa mga officials ng GMA Artist Center about sa plano nila sa aking career, dahil wala akong show that time at doon na din kami naghain ng aking complaint against sa musical director sa GMA Artist Center,” he recalled.

“Unfortunately, hindi po nila ito pinapansin at inaaksyunan,” he lamented. “Kaya dumulog na kami sa top management ng network at inihain din ang aming reklamo.”

Less projects

After the complaint, Santos said he was given only two to three appearances at “Party Pilipinas” before he was removed from the show. He then had few guestings, but these were not in variety shows where “[he was] supposed to be.”

“What I’m pointing out here is, sa entertainment department ay galit pa din sa akin ang isa sa mga executives dahil siya ay napasama sa aking complaint letter sa top management,” he noted.

“Hindi ko po sinabi na I’m totally banned sa network, but seems like ‘virtually banned’ ako. At syempre madali po nila yang maide-deny dahil ito po ay nangyayari lamang sa mid-level management ng network na sila sila narin ang magtatakipan,” he stated.

“Kayo na po ang humusga kung hindi pa ba pruweba na sa 14 years ay apat na beses lamang ako nakalabas sa network ay meron talagang humaharang sa akin at alam ko kung sino siya,” he added.

Differing claims

Santos also addressed the earlier statement from GMA, in which the network said that the singer’s present claims differ from his submitted 2010 complaint.

“Sa sinasabi nila na naiiba ang aking complaint na ipinadala sa kanila, I will tackle that sa court of law,” he said. “Hindi po sworn affidavit o under oath ang letter ko sa kanila, kundi narrative o paglalahad lamang sa aking recollection ng nangyari that time.”

“Uulitin ko po na ako ay 15 years old lamang ng ito ay mangyari, ako po ay puno ng takot, kaba, kahihiyan at in-denial sa mga nangyari at hindi padin makapaniwala sa mga nangyari up to now. Ang buong pangyayari ay ilalahad ko sa sworn affidavit na gagamitin sa court of law,” he stressed.

Santos then lamented how the Senate hearing investigating sexual abuse in the entertainment industry — where he gave his testimony on the alleged abuse he suffered — turned out to be “Gerald Santos vs GMA Network.”

“Ang hinahangad ko lamang ngayon ay maparusahan at mapanagot ang umabuso sa akin na ginawang miserable ang buhay ko sa mahabang panahon,” he stated. “Nakakalungkot at mukhang hindi alam ng top management ng GMA ang mga nangyayari sa mid-level management. Sana ito ay kanilang tignan dahil ito ang sumisira sa kanilang mga ipinaglalaban.”

Concluding his statement, Santos reiterated, “Naglabas lamang po ako ng aking ‘facts’ pero hindi po ito GMA vs me. It’s versus mga taong nang-aabuso at ginagamit ang kanilang kapangyarihan para gumawa ng kahalayan at kasamaan sa mga inosenteng biktima.”