WATCH: Sandro Muhlach's mother flies from New York to the Philippines to surprise him
Sandro Muhlach penned a heartfelt tribute to his mother who flew to the Philippines from New York to surprise him, thanking her for being there for him "during one of the hardest times" in his life.
In an Instagram post on Sept. 23, Sandro shared a video of his mom, Edith Millare, approaching him from behind before covering his eyes. When he finally sees her, he can be seen covering his mouth due to the pleasant surprise in time for Edith's birthday.
In the caption, Sandro said his mother is the strongest woman he knows, and that he's lucky to have her.
"Your love and kindness mean more to me than you know," he said.
He expressed his gratitude to Edith for being there for him "during one of the hardest times" in his life.
"Your love, care, and presence meant more to me than I can ever fully express," he said. "When I felt overwhelmed by my trauma, you were a constant source of strength and comfort."
Sandro said he's still finding his way but he feels stronger knowing he has Millare by his side.
"I hope you know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done not just during this time, but always," he continued.
"Thank you for surprising me even [if it's] your birthday. [You're] the best mom I could ever ask for," he added. "I love you more than words can express."
In another post, Sandro shared photos of him and Edith in his birthday greeting.
"Happy Birthday to the best mother in the world! I love you mama! Thank you for everything!" he said in the caption.
Their reunion comes amid Sandro's legal battle with GMA independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz, who allegedly sexually abused him.
On Aug. 1, GMA said it received a formal complaint from Sandro against Jojo and Richard, but the network did not specify the issue. Noting that it was "respecting Sandro's request for confidentiality," the network said its investigating body will withhold all details of the formal investigation until its conclusion.
The next day, Sandro and his father, former actor Niño Muhlach, went to the National Bureau of Investigation to formally file a sexual molestation complaint against Nones and Cruz.
Four days later, Sandro returned to the NBI office to submit more documents. He also filed a rape complaint against Jojo and Richard before the Department of Justice on Aug. 19. His lawyer, Atty. Czarina Raz, said the complaint indicates rape through sexual assault and several acts of lasciviousness.
Richard and Jojo are seeking to dismiss Sandro's formal complaint before GMA Network. They also filed a counter-affidavit before the NBI.
The issue has been the subject of a Senate investigation, and Richard and Jojo repeatedly denied the allegations. Senators, however, said there's "strong evidence" against the two.