Push Admin

GMA independent contractors Richard Cruz and Jojo Nones appear before the Senate hearing on August 12, 2024. The two contractors deny claims against them of sexually harassing artist Sandro Muhlach. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172404542773920240812-gma-contractors-cruz-nones-MD-6.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Senate detains GMA independent contractor tagged in Sandro Muhlach case"/>GMA independent contractors Richard Cruz and Jojo Nones appear before the Senate hearing on August 12, 2024. The two contractors deny claims against them of sexually harassing artist Sandro Muhlach. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</div>(UPDATED) GMA independent contractor Jojo Nones is now in  Senate custody over his answers to questions from Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada.This, following a closed-door executive session of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media with rape complainant Sandro Muhlach.Estrada accused Nones of lying to the committee.&quot;Itong si Jojo Nones palalabasin lang namin pag magsasabi ng totoo yun during the next hearing if there is still next hearing. He is continuously lying before this committee, buking na eh may affidavit na, nagsalita na sa imbestigasyon ko nagsalita na yung bata, hanggang ngayon matigas pa rin kayo,&quot; Estrada said.&quot;There was really a sexual abuse. There was really sexual abuse. They kept on denying it. They kept on denying it,&quot; Estrada told reporters after the hearing.He said co-respondent Richard Cruz may also be detained.&quot;Di naman nagsasalita yung isa eh. Baka sumunod na rin yan kasi yung tungkol sa sexual abuse, sexual assault eh talaga kasi pag binasa mo lahat yun, malaswa eh, malaswa hindi hindi, that&#x27;s not for public consumption yun talaga yung ginawa,  yung detalyadong ginawa sa bata,&quot; Estrada said, adding that Sandro no longer spoke in detail about his alleged ordeal during the closed door session.Estrada zeroed in on the matter of the alleged offer of financial contribution to any charitable institution of Nino Muhlach&#x27;s choice when they met in the presence of GMA Network Executive Annette Gozon Valdes.Nones maintained it was not a settlement, which drew Estrada&#x27;s ire and subsequent motion to hold him in contempt. Nino Muhlach, who was present in the hearing, pointed to Gozon&#x27;s affidavit where she referred to an offer of financial contribution. Nones maintained Gozon did not refer to it as a settlement.Asked how long Nones will stay in Senate custody, Estrada said it will depend on committee chair Senator Robin Padilla.Estrada said he has  read Sandro&#x27;s affidavit.&quot;Binuksan shirt, baba yung pantalon the usual,&quot; Estrada said, before adding this has been prevalent in the entertainment industry.When the hearing resumed after the closed-door session,  Sandro Muhlach, who was joining the hearing via virtual platform, recalled that he was offered and taught to use a powdery substance when he got to the hotel room using a P500 bill. Sandro said Cruz also followed suit.Nones and Cruz denied this.Upon Estrada&#x27;s questioning, Sandro  said he was drinking wine until he felt numb, then he was forced to lie down by Nones. At that point, the alleged assault happened which Sandro did not discuss in detail.Nones denied any wrongdoing, and insisted they were just socializing.Sandro said Cruz proceeded to undress him, which Cruz denied.Nones appealed not to be prejudged.&quot;Your honor with all, due respect please don&#x27;t judge us di pa po kami convicted sa case. The case has just been filed. We are not lying, we are also just defending our side. It is our constitutional right to defend our rights. We&#x27;re not being disrespectful at all, were not lying,&quot; Nones said.Estrada did not go into details about his findings, saying it was not fit for public consumption.Sandro later addressed the committee to thank them for understanding, but he also maintained he is not yet okay.&quot;Pasensiya na rin po kung di po ako nakapag-attend sa previous Senate hearings pero more than that, advice sa akin ng mga doctors sa NBI na di pa po talaga ko handa na pag-usapan yung buong nangyari sa akin. Nakakatakot po kasi at nakakahiya po. Ako ang hirap po para sa akin makita silang dalawa ulit live. Maraming salamat po sa pag-intindi,&quot; Sandro said.&quot;Hirap na  hirap po akong makatulog, di po ako makakain. Araw-araw po akong inaanxiety atsaka hanggang ngayon po diring-diri pa rin ako sa sarili ko,&quot; Sandro added.&quot;Every day ko na iniisip para maging okay po ako pero yung totoo po di pa talaga ako,&quot; he added. &quot;Napakahirap pong tanggapin na binaboy ka.&quot;Before this,  Muhlach faced the respondents in the rape case he filed before the Department of Justice  at the Senate.The Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media  went into a closed-door executive session to listen to his narration of the incident.Before the closed-door session,  Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada initially got Sandro to recall before the committee his initial contact with Nones on the night of the  incident.While initially hesitant to get into the details, as  Nones and Cruz have yet to get their copies of the complaint, Sandro said he only knew Nones and only met Cruz that night.Sandro reiterated that Nones texted him at 3:59 a.m., which Nones did not dispute.During their conversation, Sandro and Nones exchanged pleasantries and discussed the GMA Gala which they both attended. The conversation however drifted to how how they both felt like they weren&#x27;t able to consume their fill of liquor at the gala.&quot;Sabi niya nabitin ako sa inom. Napasabi rin po ako na ako nga din po then nagreply po siya sa akin na yes soon i-cast kita nag-didirek ako now,&quot; Sandro recalled.Nones told Estrada that while he does not have the power to cast actors in GMA Network, he could cast them in streaming projects outside  GMA.After that, Nones told Sandro that he had liquor in their room.Sandro told Estrada he didn&#x27;t think much of it when he declined. However after 37 minutes, Nones said  he was with other people from GMA&#x27;s Drama department. That was when Sandro expressed interest to join then. Sandro said  he saw it as an opportunity to network with potential colleagues.&quot;After 37 minutes po, 4:37 a.m.  nagmessage po sioya sa akin ulit sabi po  niya hahaha just kidding kasama ko drama peeps but were wrapping up in a bit,&quot; Sandro recalled.Upon arriving at the room, Sandro said he only saw Cruz, who he said was drunk, and Nones, who offered him a drink.Sandro and his lawyer Czarina Quintanilla-Raz declined to go further, citing their complaint. It was then that they went into executive session.Raz told senators at the start of the hearing that they could not go into the details of the case.Cruz&#x27;s and Nones&#x27; lawyer Maggie Abraham Garduque said they have not received the complaint.Atty. Marie Catherine Nolasco-Illescas of the National Bureau of Investigation also confirmed they have not yet provided the respondents&#x27; camp with the case file.State Counsel Nancy Lozano of the Justice Department said the case has yet to make its way to them since it was received by their docket session Monday morning.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/8/9/2-accused-in-sandro-muhlach-complaint-respond-with-absolute-denial-1712">• 2 accused in Sandro Muhlach complaint respond with &#x27;absolute denial&#x27;: lawyer</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/8/19/sandro-muhlach-files-rape-case-vs-2-gma-contractors-before-doj-942">• Sandro Muhlach files rape complaint vs 2 GMA contractors before DOJ</a></div><div>— Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3066361"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><div>More details to follow.</div><div>RELATED VIDEOS </div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3066386"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><div> </div>

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said they will only release Nones from Senate custody if he speaks the truth.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said they will only release Nones from Senate custody if he speaks the truth.

Senate detains GMA independent contractor tagged in Sandro Muhlach case

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Senate detains GMA independent contractor tagged in Sandro Muhlach case

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 19, 2024 01:47 PM PHT

|

Updated Aug 19, 2024 08:23 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Sandro Muhlach

Jojo Nones

rape

sexual harassment

sexual assault

ANC

ANC promo

ABSNEws

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.