Alyssa Muhlach and Sandro Muhlach. Images: Instagram/@alyssamuhlach, @sandromuhlach
Alyssa Muhlach expressed her support for her cousin Sandro Muhlach, as he continues to seek justice for the alleged sexual abuse he suffered under the hands of GMA’s two independent contractors, Richard Cruz and Jojo Nones.
Alyssa admitted in a PUSH Bets interview on its YouTube channel on Saturday, Aug. 17, that she was “really surprised” upon learning of Sandro’s alleged abuse, and was even scared for her family’s sake at the time.
“When I first heard about it, I was really surprised. I messaged my mom first,” she said, referring to her mother Almira Muhlach. “I really couldn’t believe it because I heard stories [of] things like that happening in the industry. Hindi ko lang akalain na (I couldn’t believe) it would be done to someone who’s from my family.”
Without disclosing which independent contractor she was referring to, Alyssa said Sandro’s father, her uncle Niño Muhlach, even trusted one of them, making the incident more painful for their family.
“For you to do it to someone na… these are people that my uncle trusted. Trinust niya ‘yung isang tao dun (He trusted one of them). This industry kasi, we felt like it’s a safe space. That’s the reason why we are allowed to enter the industry because we know it’s a safe space. When we found out about it, I was very disappointed and at the same time also scared,” she said.
Sandro Muhlach at the hearing of the Senate committee on public information and mass media. (📸Andrea Mae Esteban, Senate Social Media Unit / Screengrab)
The “2 Good 2 Be True” star recalled how she and her relatives were always taught about the importance of having good relationships with their co-workers while touching on the “level of trust” they give to their colleagues.
“‘Yung mga Muhlach kasi, importante sa amin nakikisama, so I would tell people na you won’t see us na nakikihalubilo lang sa mga artista. You will see us talk and interact with people from the production, to our bosses, so ‘yung level of trust that you gave to someone like that na you worked with,” she said.
“Na kilala [pa] ng daddy mo or kilala ng mommy mo so you won’t think that it’s something that could happen in the industry,” continued Alyssa.
(It’s important for the Muhlachs to have good relationships with everyone. I would tell people that you won’t see us just interacting with fellow celebrities. You will see us talk and interact with people from the production to our bosses, so you give a level of trust to someone you work with. These are people whom your daddy or mommy knows, so you won’t think that it’s something that could happen in the industry.)
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Alyssa said their family is doing their best to support Sandro throughout the whole ordeal, stressing that they will “never tolerate” abuse.
“We are really just trying our best to support him and we told him na kung ano man kailangan niya, we’re going to be there for him every step of the way and si Tito Onin as well,” she said, referring to Niño. “Our family will never tolerate all forms of abuse. We have always stood our ground in terms of that na hindi kami magtotolerate ng abuse, assault or anything.”
Accompanied by his legal counsel, Sandro has been in fighting form after he was allegedly abused by Nones and Cruz after the GMA Gala 2024 last July 20. He had since filed charges of rape through sexual assault and several acts of lasciviousness against the independent contractors before the Department of Justice (DOJ) a month later.
Nones and Cruz have denied the allegations made against them.
Apart from the alleged abuse, Sandro claimed in the Senate hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 27, that he was allegedly taught by Nones and Cruz to use illegal drugs.