Hayden Kho Breaks Silence Over Video Sex Scandal

Manila – Controversial medical physician Hayden Kho has issued a public apology and assumed responsibility for the videos of his sexual liaisons with different women, including actress Katrina Halili.

But he also revealed that the videos were stolen from him, and he categorically stated that he did not upload them on the video-sharing site YouTube.com.

Once on the Internet, however, it was only a matter of hours before they were pirated on DVDs and sold on Quiapo and in sidewalks nationwide. It is now the national obsession in the Philippines, prompting statements even from politicians. Sen. Bong Revilla, an actor, gave a privilege speech in the Senate floor three days ago condemning Kho.

“I deeply regret everything that has happened because of poor judgment,” said Kho. “Right now, I only feel deep remorse. I know it’s too much to ask forgiveness right now – someday people would learn to condemn the sin and not the sinner.”

Kho, 29, first gained public attention for his May-December love affair with Dr. Vicki Belo, a famous cosmetic surgeon whose clientele are mostly celebrities. He has also guested in various TV shows as an aspiring singer.

He has voluntarily stopped his medical work in the wake of the controversy. “I own up to my responsibility as a professional, and have decided to suspend my practice of medicine,” he said.

Halili has filed a case against Kho for psychological violence. Kho is liable under Section 5 of Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act), said Vicente de Guzman III, head of the National Bureau of Investigation Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division.

Halili has also lodged a complaint of immoral and unethical conduct at the Professional Regulation Commission, seeking revocation of Kho’s medical license. “We already sent the summons containing the copy of the complaint against him and we asked him to file his counter-affidavit within 15 days upon receipt of the summons,” said Pharson Mamalo, chief of the PRC legal division.

Meanwhile, Belo’s lawyer denied rumors that she was the responsible for the video’s leakage. Belo is a mere “resource person” and “witness,” said her lawyer Adel Tamano. Kho and Belo had a very public break-up on December 2008 but Tamano confirmed that during their affair, they also had a private sex video, “Made by two consenting adults.”

The NBI sent summons to Kho, Belo and Eric Johnston Chua, Kho’s fraternity mate whom Halili accused of having a copy of the video. Kho and Belo were represented by their legal counsels Jose Paulo and Peter John Javier, respectively.

In the case of Chua, the NBI “Will give him another notice to present his side in our investigation,” said Guzman.

Paulo read Kho’s statement: “I have requested Atty. Lorna Kapunan to be my legal counsel, and to speak on my behalf for the time being. At this stage, I realized I cannot expect understanding and forgiveness. I can only pray that this comes in due time.”

Kapunan is a well-known and highly-respected feminist lawyer. Among the many cases she has handled is that of her client Carol Castañeda Jimenez, who has been sued for kidnapping and grave coercion by her estranged husband, former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez.