Nahaharap sa mga reklamong acts of lasciviousness, sexual harassment, at human trafficking si Antonio "Tony" Meloto, 75, founder ng NGO na Gawad Kalinga.
Ayon sa mga ulat ng ABS-CBN News at GMA Integrated News, inihain ang mga reklamo laban kay Meloto sa Department of Justice (DOJ) noon pang November 2024.
Ang nagsampa ng reklamo ay dalawang kalalakihang naging beneficiary ng Gawad Kalinga youth program na School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED Philippines) sa Angat, Bulacan, noong 2015 at 2016.
Nangyari umano ang pang-aabuso noong 2017.
Sa kanilang complaint-affidavit ay idinetalye ng dalawa ang naranasan umanong pang-aabuso mula kay Meloto.
Ipinaliwanag ng kanilang legal counsel kung bakit inabot ng pitong taon bago lumantad ang mga ito at nagsampa ng reklamo.
Pahayag ni Atty. Mary Jude Marvel: “They feel they were silenced for a long time, for so many years, and they tried to find help so that they can tell their story. We will let justice take its course.”
Si Atty. Marvel ay partner sa Divina Law, na ayon sa company profile ay siyang "leading full-service law firm in the Philippines."
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TONY MELOTO DENIES ALLEGATIONS
Sa kanyang counter-affidavit, itinanggi ni Meloto, kasama ang kanyang witnesses, ang mga alegasyon.
Bahagi ng pahayag ni Meloto: “None of the witnesses of the complainant can convincingly testify to having witnessed me committing any act of sexual misconduct or abuse on the complainant or any other person.
“Indeed, complainants' bald-faced and malicious lies run contrary to logic and human experience.”
Binanggit din ni Meloto sa kanyang counter-affidavit na ang isa mga complainants na nakasama niyang bumiyahe abroad ay "willing traveler," bilang pangontra sa alegasyon ng human trafficking.
Saad pa ng Gawad Kalinga founder: “It is outside the pale of human experience for a person, who is being subjugated to human trafficking, emotional and sexual abused, to be able to straightforwardly attend social engagements, much less international social events, functions, and to deliver laudable testimonials and speeches.”
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Iginiit ni Meloto na ang paghahain ng mga kasong kriminal laban sa kanya ay isa lamang "harassment suit," kasabay ng hiling niya sa DOJ na i-dismiss ang mga reklamo.
Noong Lunes, Marso 10, 2025, humarap si Meloto sa lupon ng prosecutors sa DOJ upang isumite ang kanyang karagdagang counter-affidavit.
Tumangging magbigay ng pahayag sa media si Meloto at ang kanyang abogado.
Ayon naman sa National Prosecution Service ng DOJ, susuriin ng piskal ang nilalaman ng isinumiteng complaints at counter-affidavits ng respondent upang malaman kung kailangan itong isulong sa korte.
“Kami ay magiging patas sa pag-evaluate ng mga ebidensiya na yan at ibabatay lamang namin, ibabase lamang namin kung anumang desisyon o resolution na ilalabas namin, dun sa ebidensiya na ihaharap sa amin,” saad ni Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon.
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GAWAD KALINGA STATEMENT
Kaugnay ng mga reklamong isinampa laban kay Tony Meloto, naglabas ng opisyal na pahayag ang kasalukuyang chairman ng Gawad Kalinga na si Jose Luis Oquinena.
Ayon kay Oquinena, noong 2017, ilang lalaking SEED scholars ang nagreklamo at inakusahan si Meloto ng pang-aabuso.
Nagsagawa raw ng internal investigation ang GK Board of Trustees.
Kalaunan ay nagbibitiw sa kanyang tungkulin si Meloto bilang chairman ng Gawad Kalinga, SEED Philippines, at Enchanted Farm noong October 26, 2017.
Isinapubliko ng Board ang pagbibitiw ni Meloto sa puwesto noong January 2018.
Ayon pa kay Oquinena, tahimik na gumawa ng aksyon ang Board sa hiling na rin ng complainants na protektahan ang kanilang privacy at huwag isapubliko ang insidente.
Nagsagawa rin daw sila ng ilang aksyon upang pangalagaan ang complainants, kabilang na ang pagkuha ng professionals gaya ng "crisis interventionist and therapists."
Ito ang kabuuan ng pahayag ni GK chairman Oquinena (published as is):
"Dear GK volunteers, workers, partners and Kapitbahayan,
"Isang mapagkalingang araw po sa ating lahat.
"2025 holds a special place in our history as Gawad Kalinga marks its 22-year journey of hope, heroism and transformation for thousands of families and individuals who have been inspired by our mission of building communities.
"We thank everyone for your special contribution to our beautiful tapestry of solidarity. For some of us, it was about building homes and seeing tears of joy among our first-time homeowners. For others, it was about seeing enlivened beneficiaries happily sharing Kusina ng Kalinga meals, often their only complete meal for the day. And for our young volunteers, it was about the relationships and genuine friendships built during GK Bayani Challenge and build activities. All of these stories are the cornerstone of the communities we built – simply because we chose to care and share so that those who have less may have more.
"Through the years, we have celebrated many wins, but we have also powered through countless challenges together. As your fellow GK leader, it is with a heavy heart that I must share with you the latest challenge that we face.
"In 2017, several male SEED scholars who were part of the Spartan program complained and claimed that Mr. Tony Meloto, physically violated them. The GK Board of Trustees conducted an internal investigation and subsequently Mr. Meloto tendered his resignation as Chairman of Gawad Kalinga, SEED Philippines and Enchanted Farm on October 26, 2017. The Board proceeded to act on his disengagement from all his official functions with the mission, which included the public announcement in January 2018.
"The Board acted discreetly upon the request of the complainants to protect their privacy and keep the matter from the public. With the help of professionals, including a crisis interventionist and therapists, we also initiated a series of actions to care for the complainants.
"Meanwhile, let us not allow this to discourage nor distract us from our very important work of creating communities and transforming lives now and in generations to come. We remain committed with our partners to forge forward to build mighty currents of hope as we care for the poorest.
"Walang iwanan!"
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RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARDEE
Si Antonio "Tony" Meloto ang founder at dating chairman ng Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, isang "poverty-alleviation and nation-building movement."
Ang pangunahing layunin ng Gawad Kalinga ay wakasan ang kahirapan para sa limang milyong pamilya sa pagtatapos ng taong 2024.
Noong 2006, ginawaran siya ng Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.
Ang Ramon Magsaysay Award ay itinuturing na pinakamataas na pagkilala at parangal sa Asya na kumikilala sa mga indibidwal at organisasyon na nagpakita ng katangi-tanging pamumuno at serbisyo.
Ayon sa Ramon Magsaysay Foundation, ito ang mga dahilan kung bakit nila kinilala si Meloto:
"MELOTO decided to build houses. Drawing support and volunteers from Couples for Christ, he began transforming the neediest area of Bagong Silang into a viable neighborhood with safe, sturdy, and attractive homes — the first Gawad Kalinga village.
"Through the ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the Poor) Foundation he brought expatriate Filipinos into Gawad Kalinga’s growing web of partners and supporters.
"In Mindanao, Gawad Kalinga-led “Peace Builds,” fostered by local mayors and built by Christian, Muslim, and indigenous-Filipino volunteers, resulted in hundreds of new homes for displaced Muslim Filipinos.
"The RMAF board of trustees recognizes his inspiring Filipinos to believe with pride that theirs can be a nation without slums."
Ayon naman sa profile ni Meloto mula sa World Economic Forum, siya ay may degree sa Economics mula sa Ateneo de Manila University.
Noong 2010, kinilala siya bilang Social Entrepreneur of the Year ng Ernst & Young Philippines.
Noong 2010, inawardan siya ng Schwab Foundation para sa Social Entrepreneurship.
Noong 2011 naman ay ginawaran siya ng Nikkei Asia Prize for Regional Growth.
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