Boy Abunda's voice is even-tempered even as he admits being hurt and irritated over the assertions of Ed Instrella, who told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) yesterday, January 24, that The Buzz host's segment on Cherry Pie Picache's harassment issue sort of gave Baron Geisler a "pat on the back."
Ed commented, "Parang si Baron ang aggrieved party." (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
The 20-minute segment, which was aired last January 23, looked into the 29-year-old actor's childhood, family, drinking problem, and the sexual harassment charges. Boy was intent and, in a few instances, showed empathy. Baron was straightforward and, at times, a bit irritated.
The interview had nothing from the 40-year-old actress, who chose to keep mum. According to The Buzz's creative consultant Roxy Liquigan, "We got in touch with Ed, but he said, 'This is not the right moment....'"
Boy says he is "grateful to Baron and his manager." He also says he respects Cherry Pie and Ed's decision not to talk, but he doesn't understand where the latter's sentiments come from.
The host—who also manages the careers of Kris Aquino, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Gretchen Barretto, Mariel Rodriguez, to name a few—continues, "I would like to stand on my ground. I was fair. I asked the questions and I had no agenda to make Baron look like the victim. I have so much respect for Cherry Pie. I have so much love for her."
He points out that there was transparency and openness during the interview:
"For example, when Baron said something like, 'Ang problema naman kasi, hindi naman ako pinaniniwalaan...Bakit yung apat na girls [Patrizha Martinez, Yasmien Kurdi, Julia Clarete] na 'yan, bakit hindi sila nagreklamo agad? Bakit pare-pareho sila naghintay ng panahon?'"
"You know what I said on-air, 'Baron, people have different ways of coping with abuse.'
"I had another question, I said, 'Baron ang sinasabi mo, itong apat na babaeng ito, in spite of all their complaints, are you innocent?'
"The discussion about the harassment, alam mo ba, before my interview on The Buzz, there was a feature we did on that on SNN because there was a PAMI [Professional Artists and Managers Inc.] investigation. Baron was represented by his manager, Arnold Vegafria. Pie was represented by Ed.
"Baron, in my interview—it was not aired—was very hurt about the PAMI decision. He was very hurt about the PAMI decision. We were literally verbally disagreeing because I am a PAMI member.
"I was defending PAMI: 'Your manager represented you, and Pie was represented by Ed.' So, if there were admissions, whatever they are, it was your manager. It was between you and your manager. Kasi ang pinaglalaban ni Baron, 'Bakit walang imbestigasyon? Bakit walang thorough investigation? Bakit hindi ako tinanong? Bakit hindi ako pinaharap? Bakit hindi nila ako...et cetera, et cetera...."
To prove his point that he knows his job is to ask questions and not take sides, Boy mentions more quotes from the interview.
"I am not the lawyer of Baron. I will not speak in behalf of Baron in that area but in the context of that interview, I beg to disagree on the claim that it made Baron the aggrieved party. I beg to disagree and I challenge that. Listen, the interview was about Baron Geisler.
"May tanong ako dun sa interview, for example, and I said...I don't know if I remember myself exactly and I said, 'Has the industry abused you?' Did the industry abuse Baron Geisler? Ang sagot niya sa akin, 'Baron Geisler abused Baron Geisler.' Here is a young man who is battling against forces that are external and internal.
"And at some point, we talked about Pie [nickname of Cherry Pie] and the case. But it wasn't just about Cherry Pie and Baron.
"It was about Baron Geisler, his battle against the bottle, his battle against himself, his cases against the women who accused him of harassment—and, of course, including the complaints of Pie.
"Yes, the interview was triggered by the case of Pie. Now, kung ang kanyang pananaw ay Baron is the aggrieved party, it certainly didn't come from me. I am not a judge, I am not a prosecutor. I am not a lawyer. I am an interviewer."
WHAT HURT BOY ABUNDA? It's easy for Boy to shrug this off. But one claim had him call PEP.
His long explanation, "You know what is hurting? I was told by my producer that Saturday, they were trying to get Cherry Pie for an interview, and in an article with PEP—correct me if I'm wrong—there was a suggestion that because Pie was not interviewed, I did that interview with Baron. That makes me angry.
(ED'S NOTE: The "suggestion" mentioned by Boy was not in the PEP article.)
"Number one, I wasn't aware of an invitation for Pie to do an interview. Number two, I will not hostage anyone for an interview. I will not hostage. I will never shake anyone for an interview; that I will not blackmail anybody for an interview. And I will not say I will do this interview well because you did not grant me an interview.
"I have so much respect for Cherry Pie. I have so much love for Cherry Pie. I have so much respect for Ed. Ed is a long-standing friend whom I respect. I am disappointed that it his is perspective, it is his opinion, it is his interpretation. But I am disappointed that they are looking at that interview in that light."
The showdid its share of getting the side of the people concerned even after the segment. As Boy says, "'Pie, The Buzz is open to your side of the story. That is standard. We need to hear your story. That is not pressuring Pie to do an interview. If she wants to get an interview with me, fine. If she doesn't want an interview with me, I am also fine. I will not force anybody to do an interview with me. Pero ayaw ko lang na pagsuspetsahan ako na I am part of an agenda of a thing to make him [Baron] look guwapo.
"Baron admits he has a problem that's why he wants to go on rehab. He has other statements about the case with Pie and the other women, that's not my problem. That's not my turf. He has lawyers."
For the second time, he stresses, "I am not a lawyer. I am not a prosecutor. I am not a judge. I am an interviewer. I ask questions. Pero when you do an interview, I am polite. I will not insult anybody in front of myself."
It was inevitable for the interview to happen because there's an issue, "because of what happened in Noah," Boy asserts.
He resumes, "My profiling was not exhaustive as I would have wanted it to happen because I knew I had limited time. Did I veer away from the issue? That is a misreading. I did not veer away from the issue because in the very beginning my intention as an interviewer was to talk to Baron and attend to all the issues about him—personal and professional. Hindi ito...kasi alam mo ang weakness ng istoryang iyan, 'Baron, nagreklamo si Cherry Pie Picache. Ang sabi ni Cherry Pie Picache, binastos mo siya. Nilamas mo ang boobs niya.'
"The answer of Baron was, 'Hindi ko po ginawa iyon. I dare all of you to watch the tape,' sabi niya. He demonstrated to me how it happened. That is his version of the story.
"My question was, 'Why do you apologize?' [He answered], 'Para matapos na ang lahat and I also need help and hopefully they help. I feel that this will make me better.'
"But who was I to say, 'Ay, hindi, e, nilamas mo yung boobs niya.' Do you want me to take that position as an interviewer? Do I know the case? Have I seen the tape? No, so therefore, the only thing you can do is listen.
"It was a very complex conversation, very, very complex. He would admit that he was responsible for everything that he does. In one moment, he would say, 'I did not do this.' In one moment he would say, 'I did not do anything.' In one moment he didn't know what he was doing every time he was drunk. In one moment, he would talk about mom, he would talk about dad, he would talk about the industry being bad, then he would talk about the industry being good. He would talk about full responsibility as Baron Geisler. You ride with it. I was not there to do a lecture. I was not there to say that you are wrong or you are right, kaya nga ginagalang ko yung perception because that is my job."
Then, addressing his statement to Ed: "If that is your perception, I respect but I disagree. And akin lang, if I want to express my feelings...kasi kinukuwestyon na ang aking maliit na maliit na integridad as an interviewer. Ay, hindi, hindi kami nag-usap ni Baron Geisler before the interview. There were no requirements from Arnold on what to ask or on not what to ask. There were no conditions."
So when he heard about Ed's contentions, Boy admits feeling both hurt and irritated. "Yun lang ang nakakasakit sa akin. I may not see Pie but I think she is a good actress. I have so much respect for the girl. How the hell can I take the side of Baron? That explains why I'm a bit irritated. But I also understand where they are coming from. She is a woman. She is going through a process."
One more point raised by Ed was Boy's hugging Baron after the interview.
The host laughs, "Karen, it's funny and I don't get it. Here is a boy who grew up right before your eyes in the hallways of ABS-CBN who decided to go on rehabilitation. You have to be compassionate. Yes, it was a show of compassion. It was good he is taking control of his life. You go and I wish you the best.
"My hug is not a declaration of his innocence or guilt. It was an expression of my compassion for a boy who, I think, is lost once in a while."
LESSON LEARNED. Before ending the interview, the King of Talk leaves a piece of advice to his colleagues in the press.
"We will always be subject to opinions, interpretations, to perceptions. Ang akin lang, stick to the core of who you are when you do a particular job.
"In that particular interview, the lesson I learned is that I stuck to my being an interviewer. I was fair. I was fair. And I was fair. God knows, I was fair. There was no agenda to make anybody look good.
"This is lesson I want to share to my fellow interviewers. I may have my own biases but I sat there not before an innocent or a guilty man. I interviewed a human being, a person who happens to be someone who is with me in the industry. But I was not there to judge.
"The challenge for us interviewers is to go through it, is to go beyond it, to challenge it. Dahil we owe it to our public. I am not saying I am flawless. I am not saying I do not commit mistakes. But in this particular accusation, in this particular imputation by Ed Instrella, with all my entire mind and with all my heart, I say he is wrong. And I will stand by it."
To the stars, who are the subjects of showbiz issues, he also has a reminder:
"I will not speak in behalf of them. But I always tell my artists, 'There are times when you feel it is right for you to tell your narrative. If you feel comfortable, go ahead. But for as long as you are on the side of truth, go ahead.' That's Aling Oprah. You will survive anything."
LASTLY, "I DISAGREE WITH THEM." Boy agrees that every person is entitled to his own opinion, but he disagrees that his treatment of the issue was not fair.
"I have so much respect for Pie as an actor. This is a different opinion. I have so much respect for Ed. I have so much love, emphasize that, because he knows that. I have so much love for Ed. We now have differences in opinion. That is perception. That is opinion. That is interpretation. I respect it.
"There are imputations against me. I am defending myself. I can say that his imputations are totally, totally wrong. They maybe unfair, they may be unfounded, but I understand. I respect. This is part of the democratic discourse."
When asked how this issue is going to affect the friendship, he replies, "I love Ed. I love Pie. But I disagree with them.' I love Pie because Pie didn't say anything..."
Then half-serious, half-joking, he resumes, "But I disagree vehemently to the interpretation of Ed. But I love him. He knows that. I would have called him if he called me. But since he went to PEP, I'm going through you."