Sandro Muhlach. Image: Instagram/@sandromuhlach

After the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed criminal cases against his alleged abusers, Sandro Muhlach addressed victims of sexual abuse, urging them to come forward as well and speak their truth.

“It was very difficult for me to tell my story — to come forward and tell the public that I was sexually assaulted and abused,” the actor said on his Instagram Stories on Thursday, Oct. 31.

“In addition to the trauma that I suffered from being sexually assaulted and abused, I also had to endure online bullying and harsh and cruel criticisms,” he disclosed. “Napakadaming masasakit na salita ang sinabi tungkol sa akin, at pinipilit na ako pa raw ang nagsisinungaling dahil wala akong ebidensya.”

(A lot of hurtful words about me have been said, and some were even insisting that I was lying because I didn’t have evidence.)

Despite this, Muhlach underscored that he continued his fight and did not lose hope. “And finally, our justice system has acknowledged the truth.”

“For all the rape and sexual abuse victims out there, ‘wag nating hayaang manalo ang mga nagsamantala at bumaboy sa atin,” he urged. “‘Wag nating hayaan na patahimikin nila tayo. Tayo ang biktima. Tayo ang inabuso. Tayo rin ang papanigan ng katotohanan.”

(For all the rape and sexual abuse victims out there, don’t let the ones who did us wrong win. Don’t let them silence us. We are the victims. We are the ones abused, and truth will side with us.)

Image: Instagram/@sandromuhlach

Muhlach filed a complaint of rape through sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness against GMA independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz at the DOJ last Aug. 19.

During the hearings conducted by the Senate committee on public information and mass media, Muhlach narrated how he was allegedly molested and taught to use illegal drugs by Nones and Cruz after the GMA Gala last July 20.