What Was the Maricar Reyes and Hayden Kho Scandal?
The Maricar Reyes and Hayden Kho scandal involved videotapes that appeared on the Internet of Hayden Kho having sexual relations with Maricar Reyes and other women. Kho subsequently confessed to making the videotapes secretly but not to posting them on the Internet.
On Kho’s birthday, May 20, 2009, three or more graphic sex videos involving Kho and actress Maricar Reyes, another actress named Katrina Halili and a Brazilian model appeared on the Internet and became instant sensations. During a Philippines Senate probe into the affair, Hayden Kho did not deny making the tapes but testified that his equipment was stolen in December 2008. Rumors spread that some former friends had uploaded the tapes to humiliate and discredit Kho.
As a result of the scandal, Kho lost his medical license. Halili sued Kho for videotaping their sexual liaison without her consent, waiving her right to privacy so that the hearings would be on public record, but the charges were dropped in 2010. The Philippine Senate debated passing legislation to impose severe penalties on video voyeurism to prevent a recurrence of similar scandals. Maricar Reyes did not become involved in official proceedings or attempt to sue Hayden Kho. Instead, she got on with her career as an actress and attempted to put the incident behind her. She continued to get steady work and even win acting awards. The incident acted as publicity in the advancement of her career.