Gerald Santos. Image: Instagram/@thegeraldsantos

Hours after Gerald Santos confessed that he was raped by an ex-GMA musical director when he was 15, the Kapuso network pointed out that his testimony was different from the formal complaint he filed in 2010.

Santos publicly admitted during the hearing of the Senate committee on public information and mass media on Monday, August 19, that he was raped by an unnamed musical director for the first time in 19 years.

In his testimony, Santos also shared that while he tried to complain against his abuser, he was merely dismissed by powerful individuals involved, and was even accused of being homophobic. He also said that while he long wanted to file a charge against him, he also feared for his career and safety.

In an official statement on the same day, GMA said an urgent investigation against Santos’ abuser was made in 2010, and the said musical director’s contract had already been terminated since then.

“Naninindigan ang GMA Network laban sa lahat ng uri ng pang-aabuso. Hindi kinukunsinti ng GMA ang anumang uri ng pang-aabuso sa mga artista, personalidad, empleyado, independent contractors, at iba pang stakeholders nito (GMA Network stands by those who were victims of abuse. GMA never allows such forms of abusive behavior to exist among its artists, personalities, employees, independent contractors, and other stakeholders),” the Kapuso Network said.

“Alinsunod dito ang naging aksyon ng Network matapos nitong matanggap ang formal complaint ni Gerald Santos noong 2010. Agad nagsagawa ng imbestigasyon at matapos nito ay agaran ding ipinatupad ng Network ang nararapat na parusa sa inakusahan. Tinerminate ng GMA ang kontrata ng inakusahan, at hindi na rin siya muling kinuha o binigyan ng trabaho pagkatapos nito,” it continued.

(The network was prompt in taking action after receiving a formal complaint from Gerald Santos in 2010. An investigation was urgently made and the network immediately made sure that the accused received the proper consequences. GMA terminated the accused’s contract and he didn’t apply or was given a job after the incident.

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While there was no mention of the former musical director’s identity, GMA further stated that Santos’ admission during the Senate hearing was different from the formal complaint that he lodged before the network in 2010.

“Ngunit ang nilalaman ng formal complaint na inihain ni Gerald noong 2010 ay naiiba sa akusasyon niya ng rape na binanggit niya sa Senado. Ngayon lang din nakarating sa kaalaman ng pamunuan ng GMA ang bagay na ito (However, the formal complaint filed by Gerald in 2010 was different from the rape claims he said before the senate. GMA was only informed of this now),” it said.

GMA also countered Santos’ claim that he was allegedly removed from the Kapuso Network, saying the singer requested an “early release” from his management contract, which was then accepted in 2010.

“Nais ding linawin ng GMA ang naging pahayag ni Gerald na natanggal siya sa Network. Siya mismo ang humiling ng early release mula sa kanyang management contract noong 2010, na pinagbigyan ng GMA,” it said. “Sa parehong taon ay agad din siyang lumabas sa ibang TV network. Dagdag pa rito, sumubok ding bumalik si Gerald sa GMA matapos ang kanyang kontrata sa TV5 noong 2013.”

(GMA also wants to clarify Gerald’s statement that he was removed from the network. He was the one who asked for an early release from his management contract in 2010, which was granted by GMA. He then appeared on a different TV network in the same year. To add, Gerald tried to return to GMA after his contract with TV5 in 2013.)

Santos has yet to respond to GMA’s statement, as of press time.