“Ako ay na-rape po. Na-rape po ako, your honor.” During the Senate committee on public information and mass media hearing, singer-actor Gerald Santos made a statement about his past experiences in the entertainment industry. This is where Santos expressed his thoughts about the abuse he experienced at the hands of a former musical director of a television network whom he has not named. 

“There are a lot of definitions of rape. How did you say it was rape?” Senator Jinggoy asked.

Santos said that he is ready to tell everything that happened, but he is afraid that those who abused him might come back to him. 

After 19 years of silence, Santos had the courage to speak publicly about the abuse he experienced within the industry. But some of the people were not happy with the reaction shown by Senator Jinggoy Estrada after hearing Santos’ story. According to some netizens, it seems that he even blames the victim because he seems to have no sympathy for Santos’ story and does not seem to believe that rape can happen not only to women but also to men. 

“Si Jinggoy naman ‘di man lang patapusin magkwento si Gerald. Umiiyak na yung tao, kahit simpleng sorry man lang ang isiningit para icomfort pero ewan.” Someone posted on X. 

Imagine how much trauma this has caused to someone. It’s sad to think that there have always been things like this happening within the entertainment industry until now. Some of them do not get the justice they deserve, just like Gerald Santos, who remained silent for several years before having the courage to speak publicly about the abuse and rape that were done to him.