Aguilar to DSWD: ‘Prove there’s abuse’

MANILA, Philippines – Musician Freddie Aguilar challenges the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to prove there is abuse in his romantic relationship with a 16-year-old girl.

“Sige, patunayan niyong may abuse.” (Go on, prove that there is abuse.)

The 60-year-old musician recently made headlines after disclosing to the public his relationship with a minor. Shortly after, the DSWD announced that they have begun investigating the case to ensure that the welfare of the child is not at risk.

“I have nothing to hide from them, in fact they should be here already, instead of just talking about it on TV,” he told Rappler.

He said the DSWD, never contacted him in any way. He intends to ask the agency if there is reason to interfere, and to remind them that there are more pressing issues that need attention. 

“Kailangan ba talagang makialam kayo sa walang nagrereklamong abuse, pero yung mga abusong nangyayari sa kalye, kaliwa’t kanang ganito na pang-aabuso ng kabataan, mga kababaihan, wala silang ginagawa?”

(Do you really need to interfere where there is no one complaining of abuse, when the abuse is happening on the street, where left and right children and women are abused, where they take no action?)

Who’s abusing now?

Aguilar pointed out that the abuse was inflicted not by him, but by bashers and critics. He claimed that it was their negative comments that caused his partner’s pain.

“Mismong yung girlfriend ko nga nagsasabi na, ‘Abuse ba yung minamahal ka at inaalagaan ka ng isang tao? O abuse yung mga bashers ko na sinasabi nilang ganito ako, ganyan ako?’”

(My girlfriend herself said, “Is it abuse to be loved and cared for by someone? Or is it abuse to have bashers saying this and that about me?”)

“Dapat pag-isipan natin yun. Sinong nang-aabuso ngayon sa girlfriend ko, ako ba o yung mga taong sinasabing, ‘Kaya siya sumama kay Freddie, gusto niya ng pera, kaya siya sumama kay Freddie gusto niyang sumikat, kaya siya sumama kay Freddie kasi sobra siguro ang gusto niyang makuhang atensyon sa tao.’“

(We should think about that. Who now is abusing my girlfriend? Me, or the people who say, “She’s with Freddie because she wants money, she’s with Freddie because she wants fame, she’s with Freddie because she wants attention.”)

“Kung meron mang kailangang habulin ng DSWD, yung mga bashers, kasi sila ang nananakit dun sa girlfriend ko. Hindi ko sinaktan ang girlfriend ko, kahit kailan.”

(If there is anyone the DSWD needs to go after, he said, it’s the people who are attacking his girlfriend.)

Mature and independent

Aguilar said the backlash came from the public prejudice against his girlfriend. Those who claimed she is naive were probably unaware of how mature and independent she is for her age.

He explained how his girlfriend was allowed by her parents to work and pay for her own rent at the age of 14 or 15.

“Dahil sa very understanding ang mga magulang niya, pinayagan siya na magtrabaho on her own at mag-[rent] ng apartment niya, pero nandoon lang rin siya sa Mindoro.”

(Because her parents are very understanding, they allowed her to work on own and to rent an apartment as long as she stayed in Mindoro.)

“Yun ang sinasabi kong kabataan na gustong patunayan na hindi sila bata. Ang edad lang nila yung bata.”

(That’s what I’m saying about the youth who want to prove they are not children. They are only children because of their age.)

The first move

The veteran singer said it was the girl who initiated their relationship.

The couple met early this year in Oriental Mindoro during Aguilar’s campaign concert. He claims to have been lovestruck upon seeing her in the crowd. He gave her his calling card after the 16-year-old, whom he thought to be in her early 20s, approached him to ask for a picture.

The rest, he said, was up to her.

”Kung tutuusin, kung hindi niya ako kinontact, wala na, tapos na yung gusto ko sanang mangyari na makilala ko siya nang lubusan, maligawan ko siya. Sana end na yun.”

(In fact, if she didn’t contact me, it would have been over then. I wouldn’t have gotten to know her and courted her. It would have been the end.)

Fated

The singer said he had no inkling she would contact him.

“Wala akong pinilit. Yung pagtatagpo namin, itinadhana… Nasa kanya ang control.” (I forced no one. Our meeting was fated… She had control.)

Aguilar stands firm on his decision to maintain the relationship, but he also recognizes the authority of the law.

“Kung may makita sila at i-utos ng batas [na paghiwalayin kami], sino ako para pumalag sa inuutos ng batas. Kasabihan nga natin, ‘there’s no one above the law,’ so sino si Freddie Aguilar para sabihin kong, ‘hindi pwede, Freddie Aguilar ako.’”

(If they find something and the law orders that we separate, who am I to rebel against what the law orders? As they say, “There is no one above the law,” so who is Freddie Aguilar to say, “No, that can’t be, I’m Freddie Aguilar.”)

“I’m still subject to the law,” he says.

But the abuse has to be proven, he reiterates, saying women’s advocacy group Gabriela, Bishop Oscar Cruz, and other prominent politicians agree that no law deems it illegal for him to date a 16-year-old.

“Ang tanong ko ngayon, sino ang DSWD na biglang sasabihin nila na, ‘hindi, pwede kaming makialam diyan.'”

(My question now is, who is DSWD to suddenly say, “No, we can interfere.”)

‘Ipaglalaban ko’

Five months into the relationship and the couple has earned the blessing of everyone but the public.

Despite this, Aguilar, also known as Ka Freddie, draws his confidence and conviction from the fact that he has the approval of the young girl’s family, as well as his own.

“Nawili siya sa bahay,” he said, referring to a time when he invited the girl to vacation in his house in Fairview. (She grew fond of staying in my house.)

“Tingin niya safe na safe siya sa bahay kasi naging close na niya yung mga anak ko, kasi accepted naman siya instantly sa bahay. Pati yung mga kasambahay namin kinakausap siya.”

(She feels very safe in my house. She has grown close to my children because they accepted her instantly. Even our helpers talk to her.)

Had her parents objected, Ka Freddie confessed, he would have made an effort to convince them of his good intentions.

“Kasi kung mag-o-object yung magulang niya sa relasyon namin, susunod na hakbang ko is I will talk to her mother and father, na kumbinsihin ko sila na malinis ang hangarin ko sa kanilang anak. Eh hindi naman sila nag-object.”

(If they objected to our relationship, my next step would have been to talk to her mother and father to convince them that I have good intentions for their child. But they did not object.)

The veteran singer has dedicated his song “Ipaglalaban ko” (I will fight for this) to his girlfriend. – Rappler.com