Joel Lamangan and Ahron Villena. Image: Facebook/Joel Lamangan, Instagram/@ahronvillena
Joel Lamangan confirmed that he is the unnamed director whom Ahron Villena accused of exploitation, but the former denied the latter’s claim and asserted he did not take advantage of the actor.
Lamangan finally spoke about this through a phone call with veteran columnist Jobert Sucaldito, who then shared their conversation via his and his co-host Chaps Manansala’s online show “OOTD” on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
“I called Direk Joel Lamangan the other night. Nagkausap kami and I asked him about this thing — kung siya ba ‘yung pinapatungkulan [ni Ahron],” Sucaldito said. “At yes, umamin siyang siya ‘yon. Siya ‘yung pinapatungkulan [ni Ahron].”
READ: Director-writer hits Ahron Villena for ‘riding on’ Sandro Muhlach sexual abuse case
Sucaldito said Lamangan explained to him that the incident happened when they were filming a movie that included a love scene with Villena and lead actress Lovi Poe.
“…May cameo role nga itong si Ahron Villena. ‘Yung eksena raw na ‘yon ay medyo maselan… Kaya raw ang ginawa [ni Joel], ‘yung makeup artist ay pinaalis niya at siya na ang maglalagay ng plaster kay Ahron Villena,” Sucaldito said.
Lamangan admitted to Sucaldito that he was the one who put the plaster on Villena, but the director clarified that he did so with good intentions.
“Nag-magandang loob lang daw siya. ‘Baka kasi mamaya, ikalat pa [nung] makeup artist, kung ano pang ikwento about you’—something like that,” Sucaldito quoted Lamangan as saying.
“Pero sabi [ni Joel], ang ginawa niya, hinigpitan niya lang daw ‘yung plaster. Kumbaga para di kumawala…,” the columnist continued. “Pero wala raw intensyon [si Joel] na para chansingan… Kumbaga he just did that help, favor for him.”
Nonetheless, Sucaldito as well as his co-host underscored that Villena’s sentiment should not be invalidated.
“‘Yun ang sabi [ni Joel]. Kumbaga it’s his word against Ahron’s… Kanya-kanya silang may points,” Sucaldito added.
Villena’s revelation came amid the investigation of sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, which started after GMA actor Sandro Muhlach spoke up on the alleged abuse he suffered at the hands of GMA independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz.