Gerald Santos, a former Kapuso singer, has publicly named the musical director who allegedly abused him when he was just 15 years old. During the Senate committee hearing on public information and mass media on Tuesday, August 27, Santos made a shocking revelation, accusing Danny Tan of raping him nearly two decades ago. “Ngayon po ay handa ko nang harapin ang tunay kong kalaban—ang nanghalay at umabuso sa akin noong ako ay 15 years old pa lamang. Si Mr. Danny Tan. Maraming-maraming salamat po,” Santos courageously stated during the hearing.
Santos expressed his intention to file a case against Tan, though he and his legal team are still determining whether the complaint will be for rape or child abuse. The decision is critical, given the nature and implications of the charges.
“Isa pong kaluwagan sa akin ngayon na malaman officially na mayroong ginawa ang GMA laban sa taong aking inakusahan 19 years ago,” Santos continued, expressing a sense of relief. He added that had he been informed of the outcome of GMA’s investigation back in 2011, he might have found the strength to file charges earlier. “Kung sana lamang po ay napagbigyan ng aming formal na kahilingan noong February 28, 2011 na kami ay maabisuhan man lamang po sa naging resulta ng imbestigasyon ng GMA ay maaring noon pa po ay nagkalakas sa loob na kami at nakapag-file ng kaso sa tamang umpuman,” he lamented.
Despite the painful experience, Santos expressed gratitude toward GMA for taking action against Tan by removing him from the network. “Ganun pa man ay maraming salamat po sa GMA sa action po na kanilang ginawa sa complaint na idinulog ko, ang tanggalin sa network ng taong aking inakusahan,” he said.
Santos also acknowledged the role GMA played in his career, despite the tragic incident. “Uulitin ko po na hindi po ako makikilala at magkakapangalan po sa industriya kung wala po ang GMA. Up until now, proud po ako na ako po ay minsang naging Kapuso.”
Santos voiced his support for Sandro Muhlach, who recently accused two GMA contractors, Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz, of abusing him during the GMA gala. Santos recalled his own traumatic experience, drawing parallels between what happened to him and what Muhlach is currently facing. His revelation adds another layer to the ongoing discussions about abuse in the entertainment industry.