Saturday, June 07, 2008 2 MCC female students accuse teacher of harassment
THE City Council received a complaint of two Mandaue City College (MCC) students, accusing their instructor of touching their breasts and using obscenities while talking with them.
The girls, 16 and 17, earlier filed complaints for acts of lasciviousness in relation to violation of the Child Protection Law against Richard Perez before the police.
The case was submitted to the prosecutor’s office last April 11 for investigation.
But MCC caretaker Dr. Susana Cabahug said it is a trumped-up case concocted by one of her faculty members to destroy Perez.
Last Wednesday, the alleged victims furnished the council with their complaint and the matter was referred to the committee on laws, chaired by Councilor Victor Biaño.
The committee is now conducting a parallel investigation.
Documents submitted to the council were the criminal complaint sheet, victims’ joint affidavit, police report, counter-affidavit of the accused and two separate handwritten notes of female students supporting the accused.
The MCC has two heads: Cabahug, whom Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes recognizes and to whom Perez reports, and Dr. Paulus Cañete, who has been trading charges with the mayor.
In the cases he is facing, Cañete has the support of Biaño and other opposition members.
Cabahug’s teachers hold their classes of around 100 students inside the Mandaue City Sports Complex, while Cañete’s teachers hold their classes of more than 500 students inside vacant rooms of the Eversly Childs Sanitarium in Barangay Jagobiao.
In their joint affidavit, the victims cited six separate incidents, which started last year, where the accused, their drawing class teacher, allegedly abused them, prompting them to file a complaint.
They said that on Feb. 14, 2007, Perez embraced the 16-year-old student from behind, and “in the process touched my breast and kissed me in the cheeks.”
They further said that last November the accused asked the 17-year-old student, in front of other students, if she could be the mother of his daughter. She said no.
Then last December, the 17-year-old student said that Perez, in a picture-taking incident, pulled her towards him and “he was able to kiss me near my lips.” He then allegedly told her that it was only a joke.
Last January, while the two girls were inside a room to borrow tapes, Perez allegedly sat beside them and showed them a music video of a female artist wearing only her panties and a bra. He then allegedly made obscene remarks then “he laughed and hugged us.”
Last Feb. 15, Perez allegedly embraced the 17-year-old student from behind and kissed her neck in front of another student.
On Feb. 27, Perez allegedly asked the same girl if she could wear a two-piece bikini or short shorts. When she said no and excused herself, he allegedly pulled her down. She lost her balance and allegedly landed in his lap. It was then that Perez allegedly tried to kiss her on the lips but she was able to cover her mouth with her hands.
The victims swore and filed their affidavit last April 11 in front of Prosecutor I Rolito Sarino.
Cabahug, however, said the complaint was made up by one of her teachers who has an ax to grind against Perez.
There were initially three student complainants but one of them backed out.
On April 29, Perez, in his affidavit, denied the accusation and attached two separate notes done earlier by two female students, both dated March 6, 2008.
One of the notes denied the veracity of an anonymous letter accusing Perez of sexual harassment.
The other note stated that all issues against Perez are not true and that he never sexually harassed anyone. The note further stated that “the issue is all about wrong interpretation of closeness.”
Both letters were done more than a month before the complaint against Perez was filed. (OCP)
