Senate panel cites 'strong evidence' vs suspects in actor's sexual harassment case

MANILA, Philippines — The suspects in the alleged sexual harassment of a young television (TV) actor denied the charges against them but the Senate committee conducting the inquiry on the scandal said there was «strong evidence» against the TV director and writer.

The accused, Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz, independent contractors of GMA 7 network, on Monday had a face off with the victim's father, Niño Muhlach, during the public hearing on the alleged sexual harassment of Sandro Muhlach.

«We're denying all the allegations. We just wanted our rights to be protected. We'd like to answer that in the proper forum. We are not guilty,» Nones said.

NOT GUUILTY Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz, suspects in the sexual harassment case filed by the son of actor Nino Muhlach, deny the allegations at the resumption of the inquiry by the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media In Aid of Legislation, on the Policies of Television Networks and Artist Management Agencies on Aug. 12, 2024. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

Addressing Niño, Nones said, «We didn't do anything wrong against your son.» Nones and Cruz denied the allegation that they drugged the wine that they gave to Sandro when he went up to their hotel room on July 21 hours after the GMA «gala night.»

Nones had requested an executive session when the investigation touched on the text exchanges between Sandro and Nones, who claimed that it was the victim who initiated the conversation. Niño denied his claim.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, granted Nones' request. After the closed door meeting, Padilla, in Filipino, said that the panel believed that there was «enough reason to file the charges against Nones and Cruz.

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Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said, „Based on the discussion earlier during the executive session, what we all understand, right now and we agreed together...there is strong evidence against these two gentlemen.“

»So, we will just hold it. We will just withhold all the information until all the pieces of evidence that are going to be gathered by the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) are in. So, the committee has