Jinggoy Estrada, may pahayag ukol sa “harsh” na pagtatanong kina Sandro Muhlach, Gerald Santos

- Sen. Jinggoy Estrada drew flak for being "harsh" on Sandro Muhlach and Gerald Santos in a recent Senate hearing

- On Thursday, the senator addressed the matter during the Kapihan sa Senado

- He stressed that it was never his intention to "victim blame or humiliate those who have come out"

- Estrada also explained that his "passionate approach" stemmed from a deep frustration that these problems have persisted for years

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada has addressed the criticisms he received after the last hearing into the alleged sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

The senator drew flak for being "harsh" on Sandro Muhlach and Gerald Santos during the Senate hearing.

In his statement during the Kapihan sa Senado on Thursday, Estrada clarified it was never his intention to victim blame or humiliate the two.

"I understand that my recent questionings in a Senate hearing gave the public the impression of being harsh, insensitive, and apathetic. It was never, never my intention to victim blame or humiliate those who have come out."

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As per the senator, his "passionate approach" stemmed from a deep frustration that these problems had been present for years.

"My passionate approach, which did not sit well with the public monitoring the proceedings, stems from a deep frustration that these problems have persisted for years."

He went on to air, “Wala po akong intensyon na balewalain ang nararamdaman ng mga biktima ng pang-aabuso, sexual abuse o sexual harassment... hindi ko kukunsintihin ang ginawa ng sinasabing may awtoridad o kapangyarihan sa industriya…

“I condemn all forms of violence, regardless of gender, particularly in this industry where abuses, katulad ng sinasabi ko, have been ongoing for so long,” Estrada added.

Watch his statement below:

Sandro Muhlach, whose full name is Allessandro Martinno M. Muhlach, is the eldest son of veteran actor and former child star Niño Muhlach. His mother is Niño's ex-wife Edith Millare. Sandro started as a theatre actor when he was 13 years old and he is now a Sparkle artist. He debuted as a Kapuso when joined the cast of “Agimat ng Agila.”

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Sandro and Niño Muhlach have formally filed a complaint before the Department of Justice. On Monday, the actors filed a complaint of rape through sexual assault. According to an ABS-CBN News report, the complaint is against GMA independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz. In an interview with reporters, Niño shared how filing the case gave him some relief.

In a related news, Gerald Santos emotionally spoke during the senate hearing investigating the cases of sexual abuse in the entertainment industry. Santos claimed that he was raped by a former musical director of a television network. The alleged incident happened when the singer was only 15 years old. He said he opted to keep mum about it for 19 years because of fear.

Source: KAMI.com.gh