Nasa 7th floor ng GMA Network Center si Raymond Gutierrez nang makausap namin para sa taping ng isang segment kahapon, April 4. Sa kabila ng mga kontrobersiya at kasong kinasasangkutan ngayon ng kanyang ina na si Annabelle Rama sa SVP for Entertainment ng GMA-7 na si Ms. Wilma Galvante, tuluy-tuloy lang si Raymond sa anumang trabahong ginagawa niya for the network.
Ano ang nararamdaman niya sa lahat ng mga nangyayari.
"The family is still very affected," pag-amin niya. "As much as possible, we were hoping na sana, hindi na lang humantong sa ganoong paraan na lumaki nang ganitong kalaki ang situation between my mom and my boss, Tita Wilma.
"Of course, with my mom trying to explain her side to us... Of course, we know our mom better, na hindi naman ganyan 'yan, unless she's provoked. Unless she has a point that she believes in. And alam ko naman ang mom ko, talagang nakikipaglaban 'yan when it comes to us, her family and also her wards, her talents, kasi parang family na rin ang trato niya sa mga alaga niya. At saka, parang second mom na rin nila ang mommy ko. So, kung may mga ganyang isyu at may mga ganyang balita, it must have come from somewhere. Hindi naman siya yung ganyan na magre-react na lang nang basta-basta.
"Hindi naman palaaway ang mommy ko. As much as possible, nasa bahay lang siya. Kasama sina Lorin and Venice [daughters of sister Ruffa Gutierrez], talagang mapag-alaga, mapagmahal. And believe it or not, sa house, she's just quiet. And even on the road, she's quiet. But unless you provoked her or may pinanggalingan ang galit niya," pahayag ni Raymond.
Ayon kay Raymond, nailalabas lang daw ng mommy niya ang pagiging prangka kapag may nagpo-provoke nga rito.
"Nagiging prangka siya when she fights for something," sabi niya.
Aminado naman si Raymond na kahit paano, mahirap sa kanya at sa iba pang talents ni Annabelle na nasa GMA-7 dahil nakagitna sila sa dalawang taong importante sa buhay at respective careers nila.
"But of course, as a responsible adult, we just try to respect both sides. I respect Tita Wilma's stand and, of course, I also believe my mom and I will always support her. Pero, of course, hindi naman madali for us.
"Like here, we're on the 7th floor now and Tita Wilma's office is just right behind me. When I see Tita Wilma, of course, it will gonna be the same. I will gonna give the same respect. Ganoon naman talaga dahil hindi naman ako directly involved doon sa isyu," paliwanag ni Raymond.
As much as possible nga raw, labas sila sa mga nangyayari.
"Siyempre, ako as a son, I will forever be supportive of my mom. Alam ko rin na may pinanggalingan at pinaghirapan talaga niya to build up the credibility of JC [de Vera] and Heart [Evangelista]. Alam ko, doon naman kasi nagsimula yun.
"And si Tita Wilma naman, of course, I respect her as a boss. Kung may nasabi ang mom ko that hurts her feeling, pero sana lang talaga, hindi na umabot sa korte. Yun lang talaga ang wish namin na sana naayos before it got to that."
Hindi ba umabot sa puntong nag-mediate siya?
"You know, mahirap din mag-mediate because, you know, coming to Tita Wilma's office is not easy, there's process and she's a very busy woman. And the same thing with my mom, day in, day out, may trabaho 'yan. May mga meetings, maraming ginagawa. So as much as possible, we give words of advice kung ano ang dapat gawin at ano ang dapat sabihin. Pero alam na rin niya ang ginagawa niya, so we give her space," sabi niya.
So, yung suporta niya ay nasa mommy niya?
"Of course!" mabilis niyang sagot. "I will support my mom 100 percent. But at the same time, I respect Tita Wilma."
After all, umaasa pa rin daw na maayos pa rin ang lahat sa pagitan ng kanyang ina at ni Ms. Wilma.
"You know, hopefully talaga maayos 'to. I hope someone will intervene or sana maayos na as soon as possible. Kasi siyempre, mahirap din, not only for us family, but also for the people in the network. So, a lot of people are caught in between. So, sana lang, hopefully, maayos na, ma-settle na."
THE PEP ISSUE. Tinanong din namin si Raymond tungkol sa napipintong demanda ng ina niya at ng kapatid niyang si Richard Gutierrez sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) dahil sa "inadvertent uploading" ng isang artikulo tungkol kay Richard at kay Michael Flores.
"You know, from the very...from day one of the Philippine Entertainment Portal, the Gutierrez family has been very supportive of this website. Ang first celebrity blogger nila actually was my sister, Ruffa Gutierrez.
"And the whole family went to it's launching actually, at the NBC Tent and I even won an award. And my sister won for her work for her charity... So, nakaka-sad lang na itong recent article about Chard na... That was really damaging and that was really false and fabricated, na may ganoong nangyari na upload without checking the facts, without asking the right people. And sana lang, kung na-upload yun na ganoon kabilis, because of their two witnesses na kine-claim—na isa sa loob at isa sa parking lot—and if they are so quick to write an article, believing this two witnesses, sana naman ganoon din sila when it comes to retracting a false article."
Ayon pa kay Raymond, lahat naman daw kasi ay nagsalita na, from the party organizer to the celebrator Direk Mark Reyes, and the celebrities involved.
"As much as possible lang, we were looking for a retraction and to clear my brother's name. Kasi it's not easy kapag ini-involve mo ang word na baril sa tabi ng pangalan ni Chard because that's an image that he works very hard for and continues to work had for every day, in and out. Talagang almost 24 hours nagte-taping siya because of his fans, his supporters. So, sana lang, yung name na pinoprotektahan niya, hindi ma-damage just because of one article na imbento talaga.
"So, as much as possible, we gave them time naman to apologize. But then, the apology was kind of... It wasn't enough because I think, it was insinuating that something happened instead of clearing it. And I think, that's the problem here."
Naging daan din daw ang isyu na yun para mas maging bonded pa sila as a family.
"Of course, we're bonded as a family, we've seen this issue as another hurdle. We've been in the showbiz industry for so long, so we know how to tackle issues na. Pero kapag ganito na talagang out of nowhere, imbento and damaging... Kasi, ilang hours din na naka-post ang article and a lot of people read PEP. Alam ko, kasi sinabi sa akin ni Ms. Jo-Ann, five million yata. So, it's globally. Maraming tumawag sa amin...relatives, fans ni Chard sa States... And also, some of the comments there weren't so nice, so damaging talaga," saad ni Raymond.
Katulad ba ng kaso ng mommy niya ngayon na kinakaharap with Ms. Wilma, gugustuhin ba niya na ma-settle din at hindi na aabot pa sa korte ang isyu naman ngayon nila sa PEP?
"Yeah, I'm sure everyone, both parties, would like to smooth it out na hindi na tumagal pa or hindi na mahirapan pa. That's how I see it."
Pero dugtong niya, "Sana lang, sana lang, they own up to it and apologize for the right reason."