Baron Geisler is determined to become a better man. (Photo by ROWENA JOY A. SANCHEZ)

MANILA, Philippines – With all the controversies that have hit him recently, award-winning actor Baron Geisler feels that he is now at the lowest point of his life.

“I’m at rock bottom… I could say yes, ito ‘yung pinaka-worst kasi ito ‘yung pinaka-nakakahiya rin. Unang-una, parang, ayun, na-ban po ako sa industriyang napakamahal ko. Lumaki na po ako dito tapos tinanggal sa’kin so, yeah, medyo depressing,” said a teary-eyed Baron during his press conference on Jan. 21.

The year opened for Baron with veteran actress and his co-star on "Noah," Cherry Pie Picache, filing a complaint against him before the Philippine Artists Managers Incorporated (PAMI) for allegedly touching her breasts during one of their tapings. The organization eventually decided to inhibit its talents from working with the actor. Having been accused before of sexually harassing some of his friends or colleagues in the industry---such as Yasmien Kurdi, Julia Clarete and William Martinez and Yayo Aguila’s daughter Patrizsha---in moments when he is said to be intoxicated, Baron is saddened to have been involved in yet another of such incidents.

“I used to think that I was very lucky. Whenever things like these happen, I feel very unlucky and I ask why these things are happening to me. To tell you the truth, deep inside my heart I do not put any malice especially while working kasi I believe you’re a sick person especially in a middle of a scene if you try to take advantage, sexually harass your co-actor that’s really bad,” he said.

Baron, it seems, is more serious this time to repent on and make amends for past mistakes. He began by apologizing to Cherry Pie. “I wanna apologize kay Ms. Pie if I offended her in any way sa eksena namin. I’m very, very sorry Ms. Pie kung [sa] actions ko po ay naramdaman niyong na-offend po kayo or nabastusan sa ginawa ko. I’m very, very sorry. “I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me [at] hindi po kayo magki-keep ng grudges towards me. I’m wishing and hoping to work with you [again] someday soon,” said he, who also apologized to his home network (ABS-CBN), other co-actors, and even the viewers for “letting them down.”

Deeply apologetic as he seems to have been, Baron said he was just doing his job and acting in character when they shot the scene. He plays Caleb, an “ungta” (monkey) who has selfish intentions of dominating their world Noah. Cherry Pie, meanwhile, plays Rebecca, the mother of Jodi Sta. Maria’s character who has motives of her own.

While he believes that he has always been professional at work, the actor said he “didn’t realize that going to the set intoxicated is a sign of being unprofessional.”

Baron admitted having downed five cans of beer before shooting the scene with Cherry Pie. Though he claimed he wasn’t tipsy, he recalled he stunk of alcohol.

While actor has not yet communicated with Cherry Pie personally since the issue erupted, he claims to have apologized to her right after the incident.

“I was stunned sa nangyari kasi wala akong intensyon to do anything to her. Paglabas ko ng pintuan I apologized again. At that time I felt na hindi na-accept ‘yung apology ko. So I even explained, naka-monkey gloves po ako, no sense of touch, hindi po ako nakakaramdam dahil naka-gloves po ako, siguro nandun pa rin ‘yung galit niya, hindi niya natanggap,” Baron recounted.

He confirmed causing a riot on the set. He recalled shouting and cursing as he walked away from his co-actors.

“Nung panahon na ‘yon, pakiramdam ko, marami na po akong kaso. At that time I felt… parang  na-push ‘yung buttons ko. Parang isa pa ‘tong makakadagdag. Alam na ngang may problema ako dito, Gagawin ko pa ulit? Am I that stupid to make the same mistake again na may dalawa na o tatlong babae nang nag-complain sa’kin tapos madadagdagan pa?

“Isang beteranang napakagaling at nirerespeto mong artista na magrereklamo na binastos ko? Parang hindi ko nakayanan, biglang pumutok na lang ho ako, which is wrong dahil hindi ko na-keep ‘yung cool ko. Nagmura lang ako ng nagmura, nagwala ako sa tent until kinalma ako ng Assistant Director namin for like 45 minutes,” he said.

Admitting that he has a lot of “hang-ups” (including heartbreaks, the death of his father, and the fire that caught their house), Baron’s most recent frustration that pushed him into drinking again is his non-inclusion in the movie of director Brillante Mendoza, “Prey.” His being cast in the film would've meant working with French actress Isabelle Huppert and having the opportunity to attend the Cannes Film Festival.

“Nag-aral ako ng two months, diretso. Nag-immerse talaga ako para sa character. So nandun ‘yung galit. Kaya siguro dumarating ako sa set na nakainom and ‘yung galit na ‘sayang dapat makatrabaho ko ‘tong French actress, makapunta ako ng Cannes Film Festival.’ Hindi ako pinagbigyan but that’s all in the past,” he said.

Baron finds PAMI’s decision “unfair,” but quickly added that he respects it nonetheless.

“Nilalagay ko na lang po sa positibo. Okay I will get help, I will become a better man, a better person and probably, if they see the changes in me, then maybe they will allow me to work,” he said.

He would later say that he appreciates PAMI’s intervention because he feels it’s their way of helping him straighten out his life.

“I really want to thank PAMI rin for giving me this opportunity to become a better man, to really change not just by saying it publicly but feeling it and being that person who I really want to be,” said Baron.

The actor revealed his resolve to undergo a full rehabilitation---his first time to do so---for 90 days starting next week. He clarified, though, that it was not the recent intrigues that made him decide to seek professional help for his personal issues.

“In between ‘Noah’ when we had this one month, nag-rehab na po ako. Naudlot lang dahil kinailangan po ako sa storya. So plano po talaga ng manager ko na after ‘Noah’ magri-rehab talaga ako. Nagkataon lang talaga na tumayming-timing po lahat.”

Apart from being away from family and friends, Baron said he will miss his mother’s cooking once he starts rehab. Nevertheless, he looks forward to gaining from the temporary isolation.

“I will learn to accept many things when I’m inside and I hope it really sinks in and I really hope I will learn from it and I believe I will,” he declared.

Baron hopes that after his rehabilitation, he will be given another chance to do acting, which he said is not only his bread and butter but his “life.”

Baron said the proceedings for the acts of lasciviousness case filed against him by Yasmien will continue. He’s anxious, however, that his controversy involving Cherry Pie might have a bearing on the Yasmien case.

“Actually masasabi ko lang, iba naman ho ‘tong industriya natin sa kasong ‘yon. Pero oo malaking epekto po dahil baka isipin nila mentally unstable ako. Tao lang ako eh. Siguro kung mentally unstable ako hindi niyo ko makikita ngayon na maayos kausap, umaarte sa TV.

“‘Yun actually ‘yung frustration ko eh, people, think, people judge me agad, because of ‘yung stigma na Baron is a bad guy, Baron is a maniac, Baron is an alcoholic, Baron’s like this, Baron’s like that. How do you expect one to change if you judge him without any proof?” he lamented.

He appealed to everyone to not drag his family into his issues.

“Ginawa ko rin naman ‘to sa sarili ko I deserve this, pero ‘yung iba nagja-judge sa family ko, please wag. Wag niyo nang idamay ang family dahil hindi niyo kami kilala. At ako na lang ang saktan niyo wag na sila,” he pleaded.

By confronting and, hopefully, exorcising his inner demons, Baron aims to be “a very good example of a bad example.”

“So I hope kids out there, the upcoming stars, or actors o gustong mag-artista at least makikita nilang hindi tama ‘to, ‘yung uminom sa set at magwala, mali po ‘yun. So right now I’m accepting everything, paying the price of what I’ve done and if I get better I really hope that may mga doors na magbubukas po para sa’kin,” he said.

Baron hopes that his resolution to become a better person will inspire others while enabling him to “win the trust of people” again.

A few hours after Baron held his emergency press conference on Friday, Cherry Pie aired her sentiments on his statements via a taped interview on “TV Patrol.”

“He’s a young man. Dapat mapaayos siya. The first step is for him to be humble enough diba? To acknowledge and accept the mistakes that he’s done, to seek help and then that’s the only way he can prove sa lahat ng nangyaring ito kung ano ‘yung totoo,” she said.

She thanked PAMI for their support and hopes that she, as well as Baron’s other alleged victims in the past, can move forward from the incidents.

“I would really, really, really like to send my gratitude to PAMI who gave their kind concern and solid support. I am ready to put this sad experience behind me. I would like to continue to pray the support for all the other ladies who had the same sad experience. So let’s just all pray with the firm determination that with God’s help we will be able to uphold what is fair and what is just."