THE Department of Justice has found “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction” to charge Jojo Tawasil Nones and Richard Dode Cruz for rape thru sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness involving teen actor, Alessandro Martino ‘Sandro’ Muhlach that happened inside a hotel room in the early morning of July 21.
In a resolution running into 20-pages dated October 11, 2024, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon, also, the acting Prosecutor General, concurred with the findings of the ‘Panel of Prosecutors’ formed by the DOJ that Sandro, son of former child star, Niño Muhlach (Angelo Jose in real life), is a victim of rape perpetrated by the accused as defined under RA 8353 and two counts of acts of lasciviousness defined under Article 366 of the Revised Penal Code. A copy of the resolution has been furnished to Pinoy Exposé by a confidential source.
What happened and why
Nones and Cruz took turn abusing Sandro inside their hotel room at Belmont Hotel, the special panel found out.
Sandro and other GMA Network talents had just attended the ‘GMA Gala Night’ last July 20 at the Marriot Hotel that spilled over to the early hours of July 21 and they decided to rest at the hotel room of one his friends.
Sandro then acceded to the invitation of Nones to visit him at the latter’s room at the nearby Belmont Hotel.
Sandro said, he felt indebted to Nones and even considered Nones as his “boss” for giving him his first break at a GMA Network television series.
Nones is head writer and second unit director at GMA while Cruz is the senior creative consultant for television.
Sandro said Cruz and Nones also forced him to sniff a “powdery substance” and enjoined him to drink wine.
In his weakened state, two then started molesting him with Nones even stripping him down to his underpants.
Sandro said he managed to get out of the room when the hotel room’s bell rang with Nones even reminding him that ‘What happened here, stays in this hotel room.’
Sandro’s ‘courageous act’
About a week after the incident, on August 1, the young Muhlach went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to formally file a complaint against Nones and Cruz.
After conducting an investigation, the NBI’s Public Corruption Division (PCD) then forwarded it to the DOJ on August 19, 2024.
The Prosecution Panel, composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Susan Azarcon, Prosecutors Criselda Teoxon-Yanga and Ruth Anne Zamora, under the supervision of Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Laroza-Torrevillas, chief of the DOJ’s TF on Women and Children and Trafficking in Persons, concluded its own evaluation on the merits of the complaint last September 27, 2024, after summoning all the parties for clarificatory hearings.
Commenting on Sandro’s narration of what Nones and Cruz did to him, the panel said:
“It is indisputable that the said respondents’ acts by themselves are indecent and immoral and exhibit the respondents’ sexual desires.
“Taking into consideration the manner, place, and time under which the acts complained of were done, lewd designs are attributable to the respondents.”
PunoLaw, which handled the defense of Sandro, welcomed the DOJ resolution, saying the truth has prevailed “despite the relentless efforts to distort the facts, mislead the public, and even castigate Sandro.”
The law firm added the DOJ resolution reinforces its belief in the justice system and the rule of law.
“We will continue our fight for Sandro and we have faith that our justice system will uphold the truth, honor Sandro’s courage, and hold his perpetrators accountable for their atrocities,” PunoLaw added.
The resolution noted that the Muhlachs still decided to pursue the case thus having it publicized despite being dissuaded from doing so by GMA Network Senior Vice President Anna Teresa Gozon-Valdez, during their meeting after the incident, on July 23 and July 27.
In the last meeting with Nones and Cruz present, Gozon-Valdez allegedly proposed “to settle the matter internally.” She also allegedly suggested “not to talk about the incident in public” for Sandro’s “well-being.”
The meeting with Gozon-Valdez was arranged by Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, himself a talent of GMA and to whom Niño sought help after learning of what happened to his son.
Sandro also revealed that on July 30, two days before he went to the NBI, he received a message from Nones using an unregistered number urging him to settle in exchange for P2 million.
Resolve the issue now, please
With the DOJ resolution, PunoLaw urged GMA Network to resolve the issue involving Nones and Cruz “which to date remains missing.”
The firm noted that the network gave assurance that its internal probe is being conducted “with the highest standards of fairness and impartiality.”
“If no less than the Department of Justice found that Mr. Nones and Mr. Cruz committed the crimes of rape through sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness against Sandro, with more reason should GMA remove Mr. Nones and Mr. Cruz from the GMA workplace in order to maintain a safe and respectful environment for its artists.”