Bea Borres recounts older brother’s past sexual exploitation
Bea Borres. Images: Screengrabs from YouTube/Toni Gonzaga Studio
[Trigger Warning: mention of sexual exploitation]
“Kadenang Ginto” star Bea Borres was emotional as she looked back at the time when her older brother recorded a video of her while taking a bath in her teens. Despite this, she eventually chose to forgive him.
Borres recalled the heartbreaking incident in a sit-down interview with Toni Gonzaga on Sunday, August 25, sharing that her older brother took on the role of a parental figure due to them not having a positive relationship with their now-dead parents.
“Laging may away, laging may kulang, lagi silang wala (There were always fights. I always felt that something was missing. They were not there for me),” she began while sharing that her mother was diagnosed with “bipolar depression” sometime in 2018 or 2019.
While touching on her relationship with her older brother, Borres shared that he recorded a video of her while taking a bath when she was “13 or 14” years old.
“Ngayon talaga, sobrang love ko si Kuya… pero growing up, hindi naging okay ang relationship namin kasi paano ba sasabihin? [Sexual abuse] po ba ‘yun? So, vinideohan niya ako while taking a bath, naked. I think I was 13 or 14,” she said.
Borres said she didn’t know she was being recorded then, and the video was even sent to his friends. “He took the video and sent it to his friends for, I don’t know, for money. Hindi ko alam, eh.”
“Nakita ko na habang kinakalikot ko yung phone niya. Sabi ko, ‘Kuya, borrow phone,’” she continued. “Then nag-open ako ng Messenger ta’s nakita ko [‘yung video], ayaw ko pa po maniwala pero CR namin ‘to eh. Sabi ko, ‘My God, katawan ko! Kuya, what’s this?’ Tapos hindi siya makasalita.”
Despite her older brother’s initial apology, the actress-internet personality said she was shaken while complaining about the incident to her parents and uncle.
“Nagwawala na po ako… tapos [si Kuya] hindi na po siya makaimik kasi parang siguro na-realize niya na mali din ginawa niya. Then, umalis siya to the point na nag-worry lahat kasi baka kung anong gawin niya [sa sarili niya],” she recalled. “Kasi si Kuya din po, bipolar din siya. Ang hirap kasi yung kuya ko bipolar and mommy ko rin bipolar.”
Borres shared that her parents asked her if she initially wanted to file a police blotter against him, but she opted to have him treated. But before the incident, she recalled that she had been inappropriately touched by her older brother several times in the past.
“Parang ayun na ‘yung last. Pero before that, I saw the signs na dine-deny ko lang and my mom knew it,” she said. “She didn’t tolerate it kasi pinapalayo na niya ako kay Kuya. Parang sinasabi [ng mommy ko] na, ‘Huwag kang mag-shorts, huwag kang mag-skirt.’ Kasi, every time na nagsusuot ako ng maikli, pinipiktyuran ni Kuya pakunwari. Tapos kapag tulog ako, hinahawakan niya ako [inappropriately].”
Forgiveness
Despite the “traumatizing” incident, Borres said she chose to forgive her older brother while choosing to understand where he’s coming from.
“Ngayon, okay na ako. Kasi sobrang nangingibabaw yung love and forgiveness ko… Si Kuya kasi, growing up, he was lonely din. He was depressed. Parang lalaki, eh. Nagke-crave din siya ng female validation siguro. So, parang feeling ko, nilalabas niya sa akin ‘yun,” she said.
The actress-internet personality then addressed her interview on Facebook on Monday, August 26, where she appealed to the public to refrain from “tormenting” her older brother.
“Maybe I did overshare, but my past experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. Everything is well and forgiven, which is why I was comfortable enough to share my story,” she said. “I’ve faced so much backlash already… but I hope we can stop tormenting my brother.”
Borres reiterated that her older brother has “learned a lot” since the incident, saying her family witnessed his growth through the years.
“He has been getting professional help & has learned a lot. We have witnessed his change and growth. I love him and have already forgiven him a long time ago… Please set your biases aside and watch the entire thing. Mabuting tao ang kuya ko, he did his part and helped his self,” she said.
