Content warning: This story talks about physical abuse and detainment.
(Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect additional information from the police, the survivor, and Kit Thompson’s talent management agency.)
A complaint has been filed against actor Kit Thompson for violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on March 19. He is alleged to have assaulted his girlfriend Ana Jalandoni.
Thompson is allegedly in violation of Section 5 (a) of the act, which cites the “crime of violence against women” committed through “causing physical harm to the woman or her child.”
“We will wait for the decision of the prosecutor based on his appreciation and evaluation of evidence presented. The PNP has gathered the necessary evidence and witness accounts in the course of its investigation,” said PNP Chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos.
Following her boyfriend’s arrest, the actress published an unofficial statement with a photo of her injuries via Instagram. “When you love someone you will never ever harm them. Minahal mo ba talaga? This is me saying, you all should be careful out there. I can’t reply to all of you right now but thank you for checking up on me. I will release a statement soon,” she wrote.
After Cornerstone Management reacted to the allegations by advising the public not to “cast judgment” on its talent based on “unfounded reports,” it has since issued a follow-up statement. “The Cornerstone Management does not condone any act of violence and profoundly value (sic) the dignity of women,” it said. It explained that the initial statement was made with knowledge of “general allegations,” and added that given the “delicate situation,” it would “subscribe to” police discretion and “allow the wheels of justice to take its course.”
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Actor Kit Thompson is reportedly in police custody for allegedly injuring and detaining his girlfriend. Tagaytay police confirmed today, March 18, that they rescued her after receiving a call from the hotel in Barangay Silang Crossing East, Tagaytay City where the couple were staying.
During a press conference held this afternoon, Tagaytay Police chief Lt. Col. Rolando Baula said that jealousy is the supposed reason behind the alleged physical abuse. Thompson and his girlfriend had a misunderstanding, which ended with the actor allegedly hitting her. But argument or not, there is no valid reason for hitting your partner or subjecting them to any kind of abuse.
According to the initial report from ABS-CBN’s Niko Baua published via Twitter, his partner’s friends alerted authorities after she pleaded for help and sent them a picture of herself. In a now-deleted tweet from the thread, the screenshot of the messages she allegedly sent to her friends showed serious physical injuries. She also expressed a fear of being caught while seeking help.
Hotel staff called authorities after checking the commotion in the couple’s room The hotel management is in coordination with the police over the incident. The woman was taken to an emergency room to undergo treatment while Thompson was questioned by the police.
Thompson recently caught viral fame for 2012 clip of him on “Pinoy Big Brother” where he appeared frustrated and said, “Gusto ko sumabog at magsabi ng masasamang…mga words.” While the outburst isn’t necessarily indicative of abusive behavior as an adult, some netizens rallying behind his girlfriend are now bringing it up as a red flag in terms of emotion management.
Many have come to show their support for the actress and have been criticizing posts that victim-blame and make light of the alleged incident. Among them is Gabriela Women’s Party, which released a statement supporting a full investigation on the incident and expressed concern for the woman as she recovers from her injuries and psychological trauma. “Nothing justifies the acts of violence inflicted on women by their partners. This latest incident highlights the need to amplify the #LabananAngAbuso campaign to end violence against women,” they stressed.
In contrast, the statement from Thompson’s management company appears dismissive toward the survivor despite the gravity of the allegations and the information from police. Cornerstone Entertainment said to Baua earlier today that it could not give a response or comment on the incident as it has yet to receive a formal report. “However, we request the public to be mindful of casting judgment based on unfounded reports circulating online,” Cornerstone added.
One of the key issues during Women’s Month is violence against women. Too often, the narratives of survivors are sidelined in favor of “protecting” abusers. The pursuit of justice for these women should always be on the forefront of our minds, whether we know the abusers or not. Again, and we’re hoping that someday everyone will already know this by heart, the onus shouldn’t be on the survivors to prove that they were wronged.
As Gabriela mentioned, efforts to end violence against women must persist. Domestic abuse cases in the Philippines went up during the pandemic, proving that our country needs stronger safeguards for protecting women not only in our laws, but also in our culture that condones gender-based violence.
From the accounts of survivors like Evan Rachel Wood, those in abusive relationships experience gaslighting and feel as though they have no way to escape their situation. Amplifying the voices of those who speak out against alleged abusers is a step towards ending a culture of silence.
Preen has reached out to Cornerstone Entertainment and the survivor’s representative.
Photo screengrabbed from the “The Kangks Show’s” episode teaser
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