Jojo Nones, Richard Cruz deny Sandro Muhlach‘s allegations in Senate appearance

CEBU, Philippines — GMA Network’s independent contractors, Richard Dode Cruz and Jojo Nones, denied allegations of sexual abuse by Sparkle actor Sandro Munalch during a Senate hearing on Monday, August 12, 2024.

Despite their denial, the Senate concluded there is “strong evidence” against the contractors, as discussed in an executive session following Senator Robinhood Padilla’s request for an investigation.

“We cannot yet divulge the details of the executive session, but Senators Padilla, Poe, and Bato agreed that there is strong evidence against these two gentlemen,” Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said.

“We will withhold the information until the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) evidence is turned in,” Estrada added.

Cruz and Nones cited fears of being subjected to the “media circus” and “premature trial” as reasons for their absence from the first Senate hearing on August 7 following the criminal complaint filed with the NBI.

Cruz clarified their employment status under the Kapuso network, stating they are only paid on a per-project basis.

“We are not executives of GMA Network, despite what came out online. We don’t have influence in the network, especially with the artists,” Cruz said in Filipino.

“We’re not regular employees. Even small mistakes in production could end our contracts. In all our years in the industry, we’ve never had a complaint filed against us. We won’t let this destroy our name, career, and reputation,” he added.

Cruz has worked with GMA as a scriptwriter and creative consultant since 2000, after four years with ABS-CBN. Nones, meanwhile, has been a drama consultant for the network’s afternoon soaps, with prior experience at M-Zet Productions, ABS-CBN, ABC-5, and TV5.

The public hearing largely focused on text messages between the parties after Niño Mulanch, Sandro’s father, expressed frustration over reports that Sandro initiated the conversation with Nones.

Niño read alleged text messages sent to Sandro by Nones at 3:59 am on July 21, the day after the GMA Gala 2024. Nones apologized to Sandro for not greeting him at the gala.

After brief exchanges that included possibly casting Sandro in a project that Nones was working on, it turned into an invite to the TV creative's hotel room which was opposite the gala venue. It was established earlier that consultants and creatives of the network had booked a stay at a nearby hotel without any sponsorship from their employers.

After Nones suggested ordering more alcohol once Sandro arrived, the newbie actor asked if anyone else was in the room. Nones initially replied it was just him, then later on clarified it was a joke, texting that other creatives were present and that they were about to “wrap up.”

Niño pointed out that Sandro didn’t respond when Nones allegedly joked that he was alone in the room.

Nones denied inviting Sandro to his hotel room. “I was just being polite and kind because [Sandro] is my friend. There was no direct invitation,” Nones said about the text messages.

“It wasn’t denied that my client texted first. What was denied was the invitation. That was clear during the executive session,” said Cruz and Nones’ lawyer Atty. Maggie Garduque.

Nones also denied offering a glass of wine to Sandro when he arrived, claiming the actor asked if he could drink wine that was already on the ledge. He also denied that the drink had been spiked with a powder substance.

Other details of the complaint are being kept under wraps by the NBI.

“The NBI will maintain the confidentiality of evidence. However, we cannot prevent the complainant or subjects from making it public if they choose to do so,” NBI investigator Zulikha Marie Conales said.

Niño also claimed that Cruz and Nones apologized to him and offered to donate to a charity of his choice. Nones denied this, stating they only apologized for the misunderstanding.

“The full sentence [to Niño] was that we are sorry, but we didn’t do anything wrong [to Sandro],” Nones said.

GMA has issued a presumptive suspension order on Cruz and Nones pending investigation. The Senate has scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, August 14. — (FREEMAN)