Do we like Coco Martin?
Our score: 7 out of 10. A clean harm record bar one apologised-for 2014 stunt, plus a recent set row where the evidence so far is one side's Facebook post.
Coco Martin is one of the biggest names in Philippine TV, the lead and co-creator of long-running action dramas that became national appointment viewing. His latest chapter began in March 2026 when Batang Quiapo wrapped after three years, and he thanked viewers on the ASAP stage. Then he went straight into Sigabo, a lighter, family-friendly action show he says is built on his own original story.
Now the stoush. In February 2026 actor Rod Navarro Jr. posted on Facebook accusing Martin of mistreating him on the Batang Quiapo set, saying directors cursed and shamed him. PhilNews reported Martin hadn't responded, and a member of the production team later released a timeline disputing Navarro's account, with McCoy de Leon publicly backing Martin. It's one side's post against the other side's timeline, so treat it as an allegation, nothing more.
It's not the first time. In 2020 a former cameraman made claims about Martin's behaviour behind the camera, and ABS-CBN reported that crew members and co-stars answered them point by point. Two similar rows six years apart, both pushed back on by people who worked with him, isn't a proven pattern, but it's worth watching.
The harm check. Nothing turned up of Martin campaigning against LGBTQ+ people, pushing anti-vax or climate claims, or platforming conspiracy theorists. The one real stain is 2014's Naked Truth underwear show, where he walked with a woman on a leash and cop the backlash; his lawyer's statement said he was extremely sorry and learned to be more sensitive. On politics, he has endorsed candidates and a party-list but has said he isn't interested in running himself.
The recent noise is lower-stakes. His company said fake gambling ads using his name and face had nothing to do with him. And after Sigabo premiered on 22 June, the MTRCB held a compliance seminar in July over more than ten viewer complaints about violence; his CCM Film Productions and Dreamscape attended, and no sanction was reported.
The good-stuff file is thinner than I'd like from pages I could open: reports of him backing film workers and giving to colleagues exist, but I couldn't verify them here. What is solid is a long run from indie roles to the top of Philippine TV, with co-stars from his shows turning up to defend him when accusations land.