Celebrity (as of 12:16 PM)

Jean Garcia denies she was detained, harrassed sexually

ABS-CBN news


Actress Jean Garcia denied rumors that reached media outlets last week that she was taken hostage in the island of Dinagat in Surigao del Norte.

Supposedly, Garcia was on vacation in the island with her sister and friends when the "horrible and traumatic" experience happened. Garcia allegedly earned the ire of an influential person in the island, resulting in her harassment and detention.

A teary-eyed and worried-looking Garcia has made repeated denials to the media, the latest of which was aired over ABS-CBN's "The Buzz" on Sunday.

However, exclusive footage by ABS-CBN News aired over "The Buzz" showed that Garcia and her friends had to be escorted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police from the hotel all the way to her flight back to Manila.

Garcia did not explain why she had to be given a police escort on her way out of the island.

"Bakasyon talaga. Bakasyon. And walang nangyari. Walang nangyaring masama, wala yung i'm being held as a hostage, hindi po totoo ang mga sexual harassment, yung mga speculations na lumalabas. Wala pong katotohanan ang lahat ng yon. Sa akin lang is nagpapasalamat ako dahil nakauwi kami ng safe with my sister and my friends," she said.

(We were really on vacation. Nothing happened. I was not taken hostage and there was no sexual harassment. None of that is true. I'm just thankful that all of us were able to go home safely.)

The management of Gateway Hotel where the actress stayed also denied that Garcia was illegally detained.

A guard on duty did however tell ABS-CBN News that two men did go to the hotel and inquired about the actress.

"Dalawa silang nagtanong kung dito ba naka-check in si Jean tapos umakyat sila. Maya-maya bumaba. Siguro mga 2 minutes lang siguro," said the guard.

(Two men asked if Jean was checked in then they went up. Later they went back down. They were up maybe just 2 minutes.)

Surigao del Norte governor Geraldine Ecleo Villaroman thanked Garcia for quickly clarifying the issue.

"Nagpapasalamat din ako kay Jean na nagsalita din siya in public. Nagulat kami bakit ganoon ang nangyari. And in fairness to Jean, the word 'hostage' did not come from her mouth. In fairness to Jean, the word 'traumatic' did not come out from her mouth," said Governor Villaroman.

Villaroman even showed photos of her posing with the actress to show how much in good terms they are. "She is a friend and she will remain in my heart forever. I will cherish the good memories with her," said the governor.

The lady governor also revealed that her family is even offering the actress a piece of land in the island. Garcia supposedly thought about buying property in the island even before she came there with her sister and friends.

"Sabi ni Ruben Jr. who is my brother, sabi niya Jean bakit ka pa bibili. Bibigyan kita ng lupa, doon malapit sa palasyo sa taas. Ganoon siya ka-special. Even her friends heard that from my brother. And they were even clapping their hands. Hindi babawiin. Kung bumalik siya doon, kahit ngayon ibibigay na namin sa kanya yon," said Villaroman.

(My brother Ruben [Ecleo] Jr., even offered to give Jean some land for free. He offered her some land near the palace. That's how special she is. We won't take that offer back. If she comes back there today, right now we'll give that land to her.)

The Ecleos are a powerful political clan in the island, which is also the headquarters of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaires Association, a quasi-religious organization dedicated to charitable and humanitarian work.

The PBMA has been the subject of speculation about it being a cult that looks to its late founder, Ruben Ecleo, Sr., is a divinely-inspired figure with healing powers.
PBMA leaders deny that they are a cult.

The PBMA's current leader, Ruben Ecleo, Jr., is in prison after being accused of the murder of his wife and testing positive for shabu (methamphetamine, an illegal drug used to maintain alertness, keep sleep at bay and dampen hunger).

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism has filed an extensive dossier of the Ecleos and the PBMA.