Enzo Almario. Image: screengrab from YouTube/Ogie Diaz
[Trigger warning: mention of sexual abuse, rape]
Enzo Almario detailed the alleged sexual abuse he experienced at the hands of Danny Tan, disclosing that there were two other minors whom the musical director concurrently “raped” alongside the singer.
In an interview with showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz on Wednesday, Sept. 25, Almario recalled how the musical director’s harassment toward him started when the latter was training the singer’s now-defunct GMA group “Sugarpop.”
“I felt I was safe with him kasi I never saw that one day [na] magiging gano’n siya sa amin. I never saw him as a predator,” Almario said of Tan.
“May mga moments na ‘pag wala kaming training, magba-bonding kami. The very first time that this happened, dapat may kasama po talaga ako but sa last minute, hindi nakarating ‘yung dapat kasama namin na bata din,” he recounted. “Siguro he saw that as an opportunity.”
Almario stated that the first incident of Tan’s sexual abuse happened at a cinema, and was “continued” at Tan’s office. Almario recalled Tan making remarks about the then-minor’s private part, and later proceeded to inappropriately touch him.
“Multiple times siya nangyari. Hindi kasi siya inask sakin na gawin but parang na-on the spot [ako] na pumayag,” the singer said. “Nung una, sobrang confused ako [na] ‘Ano ‘to?'”
“Kahit tanungin ko ‘yung sarili ko ngayon what was running through my head that time, hindi ko alam,” he continued. “Siguro I was very, very curious about it din kasi may sudden feeling ka na foreign to your body.”
He admitted that this fact was one of the reasons why it took time before he spoke up on the incident. The singer added that he also did not want his parents to know about it.
“Iniisip ko kung may karapatan ba akong magsalita about it. Tinatanong ko ‘yung sarili ko na ‘ba’t parang ginusto mo naman?’ May gano’ng feeling,” he said.
Other victims
Almario also revealed that aside from him, there were other victims whom he has been urging to speak up against Tan. These victims, according to Almario, are still hesitant to take action because of the effect it will have on their mental health.
“May mga kinakausap ako na kasabayan ko din. When I say kasabayan, as in magkakasabay talaga kami. Nasa isang room kami, sabay-sabay kaming inaano,” he stated, saying they were aged 12 to 13 years old that time.
Recalling the incident, Almario said, “Basta po ‘pag magbu-book na ng resort sa Pansol, alam ko na ‘yung mangyayari. Lagi akong may kasamang isa, and then may isang time na nadagdagan kami ng isa pa. Bale tatlo kami.”
Almario did not give further details on the victims’ identities, saying he respects them and their decision.
Almario then admitted that his mental health is not at its best state at the moment, but he noted that he is thankful to have a support system.
“I felt empowered kasi ‘di ko na-imagine na one day I’ll talk about this… And siguro sana ‘yung mga naka-experience din ng ganito magkaroon din sila ng lakas ng loob…,” he said.
Almario said he and fellow singer Gerald Santos, who is also an alleged victim of Tan, are just waiting for their legal team’s next action against the musical director.
Meanwhile, Almario clarified in a separate Facebook post that GMA Network was unaware of Tan’s sexual abuse, and that the network “had no involvement” in what happened to the singer.
Image: Facebook/Enzo Almario