HANDANG MAKIPAG-USAP si Coco Martin sa Gabriella at Philippine Commission for Women para matuldukan na ang isyung nilikha ng Bench underwear fashion show. Inaaayos na ng manager niyang si Biboy Arboleda ang schedule ng aktor at kapag libre na ito, sasamahan siya ng kanyang lawyer na si Atty. Lorna Kapunan para kausapin ang grupo.
Ayon sa manager ni Coco na si Biboy Arboleda, kinailangan nilang kunin ang serbisyo ni Atty. Kapunan dahil nati-threaten na ang hanapbuhay ni Coco, partikular na ang ilan sa kanyang endorsements. Ayaw niyang maapektuhan ang ikinabubuhay ng aktor na wala namang kasalanan sa nangyari.
Aminado rin ang butihing manager na nasaktan sila ni Coco sa ginawa ng Bench owner na si Ben Chan na hindi agad nakipa-communicate sa kanila sa kasagsagan ng controversy. Five days pa raw ang lumipas bago tinawagan si Biboy ni Ben.
“Kawawa si Coco. Bina-bash siya sa social media kahit wala naman siya talagang kasalanan. Hindi niya akalain na darating sa kanya ang ganitong pagsubok. First time niyang maisyu nang ganito. Eh, si Coco pa naman, sobrang mapagmahal ‘yan sa tatlong kapatid niyang babae, sa lola at nanay niya.Kaya masakit talaga sa kanya na sinasabing wala siyang pagpapahalaga sa mga kababaihan,” pagtatanggol ng isang malapit sa aktor.
Kung tutuusin, ang direktor at nag-conceptualize ng show ang dapat sisihin sa “The Animal Within Me” segment ng Bench. Pero dahil sikat si Coco, siya ang napag-initian. Ni hindi nga kami nakababalita na binabatikos ang girl na member ng Canadian Circus Troupe who played the role of a cat while Coco is portraying a circus master.
“Iba kasi ang culture dito sa atin. Hindi tanggap ang mga ganu’ng klase ng palabas kaya naging malaking isyu,” katuwiran naman ni Atty. Kapunan who is also a women’s right advocate.
Idinagdag pa ng abogado na kailangang gumawa ang Bench ng paraan para matanggal ang nakao-offend na segment sa fashion show dahil sila naman ang may hawak ng copyright nito, if ever isasalin nila ito sa DVD or ipalalabas sa telebisyon.
Kahapon nga, nag-isyu ng official press statement si Atty. Kapunan, at narito ang nilalaman:
“Mr. Martin sincerely expresses his apology and requests the public for understanding. Mr. Martin equally feels bad about the incident and saddened at the thought that he unwittingly offended the public.
“While offering no excise and admits that a mistake has been made, Mr. Martin wants to set the record straight about the incident. Mr. Martin has an existing contract obliges him to appear on fashion shows for Bench. Nevertheless, Mr. Martin, nor his manager or staff, was not involved in the conceptualization of the production of the Naked Truth Show nor the segment entitled “The Animal Within Me.” He only appeared once for a rehearsal which was a day prior to the show and it was only then that the role, as a ring master, was given to him.
“During the rehearsal most of the people on stage were foreigners and even the choreographer was a foreigner. Mr. Martin wanted to voice out his concern, particularly with the leash strapped on the neck of the lady model, but he failed to successfully communicate his thought because of the language barrier. Mr. Martin kept mum on his opinion on the matter because it was impressed upon him that the whole show was already finalized and he felt insignificant as to cause a scene and demand an overhaul of the entire segment.
“Mr. Martin feels extremely sorry for what transpired and admitted that this incident taught him a major lesson to be more sensitive and mindful of the repercussions of his portrayals. Let it be clarified, however, that Mr. Martin did not have the slightest intention on his mind to insult women by the single unfortunate act. Mr. Martin has high regard for women just as he respects and loves his mother, grandmother, and his three sisters.
“Mr. Martin humbly asks for the public’s understanding and assures the public that he will no longer allow himself to be obliged to participate in a similarly sensitive portrayal.”
Bagama’t medyo na-depress sa nangyari, hindi naman apektado ang trabaho ni Coco sa book 2 ng Ikaw Lamang series ng ABS-CBN.
“Napaka-professional ni Coco. Hindi mo mahahalata na may pinagdaraanan siya. And we support him. Alam naming mabuting tao siya,” pahayag naman ng mga katrabaho niya sa series.
Umaasa ang manager ni Coco na pagkatapos nilang mag-isyu ng official statement, matatapos na rin ang kontrobersya.
La Boka
by Leo Bukas
