SANDRO MUHLACH HAS SPOKEN ON THE ALLEGED SEXUAL HARRASMENT AGAINST GMA CONTRACTORS

Sandro Muhlach, son of former child actor Niño Muhlach and also a Sparkle artist, has formally filed a criminal complaint of rape through sexual assault before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against two independent contractors of GMA Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz.

For the first time, Sandro has spoken and also appeared virtually at the 4th hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media on what happened to him inside a hotel room with the independent contractors. Led by Senator Robin Padilla, which deals with the issue of sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

GMA independent contractor Jojo Nones was detained by the Senate after he was cited in contempt for continuous lying (Photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines/Youtube)

According to the actor, Nones texted him after the GMA Gala Night and invited Sandro to the hotel room. Sandro stopped replying to Nones after getting awkward with the conversation. Nones admmited that he was the first one to reach out to Sandro. After some text messages, Nonez convinced Sandro to go to the room but when he arrived he saw drunk Cruz lying down in bed.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada tried to ask more detailed question but Sandro’s attorney said that they can’t disclose specific details about the complaint he filed as copies of it have not been given to the opposite camp yet. And that the actor is still getting triggered when recalling the events and still can’t detail it without feeling emotional.

Sandro also told the Senate that Nones and Cruz made Sandro sniff drugs before they sexually assaulted the actor, and they provide financial assistance to a charitable institution of Niño’s choice.

Meanwhile, Nones and Cruz strongly denies the accusations thrown to them and stated that they didn’t do anything to the 23-year-old actor. Saying We didn’t do anything, we just talked about the gala and the events that happened there and the after-parties. We were just drinking and socializing and there was no luring involved.”

The Senate Committee then ordered the detention of Nones after he was cited in contempt if it believes the witness “disobeys any order of the Committee or refuses to be sworn or to testify or to answer a proper question by the Committee or any of its members, or testifying, testifies falsely or evasively.”

“It was very clear that Sandro claimed that drugs were involved. That there was sexual harassment involved. Not only sexual harassment but assault. You took advantage of the young man, you made him take drugs before taking advantage of him,” Estrada said.

Sandro posted in his Instagram story expressing the trauma he experienced, “What you did to me, it wrecked me. Hirap na hirap ako makatulog since it happened. Anxiety and PTSDs (post-traumatic stress disorder) are hard to beat. Every day akong hinahaunt ng trauma ko," he added that "The truth will prevail."

Source: Philippine Star 

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