Singer Gerald Santos appeared before the Senate panel on Aug. 19, 2024 and shared his own experience of being raped by a musical director he was 15 years old. Senate PRIB

MANILA (UPDATED) — Singer Gerald Santos on Monday revealed he was raped by a musical director of GMA Network when he was a 15 year old.

ABS-CBN News has reached out to GMA for its reaction to the allegations.

Santos, now in his 30s, disclosed some details of the 2005 incident during the hearing of Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which is investigating sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

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"Ako po ay 'di po na-harass, 'di po na-abuse, ako po ay na-rape po... I was only 15 years old at that time so wala po talaga akong lakas ng loob nung nangyari," Santos said.

Santos explained he stayed silent due to fear of reprisal until he decided to file an internal complaint in 2010. Santos said there was no clear resolution on his complaint.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada told the committee that GMA actually terminated the musical director.

However, Santos believed the alleged perpetrator's friends inside the company retaliated by pushing him out of the network.

"Yes po ang nangyari nga lang po ay kasi po 'yung musical director na eto ay connected po sa mga ibang executives sa loob, so ako po ay napag-initan so kahit na naalis nga po siya, naalis din po ako sa network," Santos said.

Santos confirmed that he sought to be released from the GMA Artists Center, whom he said simply urged him to move on from the incident.

Estrada asked the Department of Justice if Santos can still file a complaint for rape over a decade since the alleged incident.

State Counsel Nancy Lozano explained rape has a 20-year prescriptive period.

"I think it's 20 years but I'll check po because he is a minor when the crime was committed so baka po mas matagal po yung prescriptive period niya," Lozano said.

In a statement, GMA Network confirmed they terminated the contract of the musical director involved in Santos’ case.

They also said the contents of Santos’ formal complaint in 2010 is different from what he said during the hearing.

“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,” the network added.

GMA likewise clarified it was Santos’ decision to have his contract with them terminated early, which they allowed.

“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. 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 explained.

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