GOV. Hilario Davide III should not have issued a statement that Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. is innocent in the sexual harassment case filed against him by a female Capitol employee before the Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) headed by Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale. By doing so, Davide is jeoparding the PWC investigation.
Tribunalo, chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and officer-in-charge of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) is accused of sexually harassing an employee assigned at the anti-illegal fishing task force.
In her affidavit, the complainant (name withheld) alleged that the incident happened on June 15,2017 at Diamond Hotel where she attended a mid-year assessment and budgeting seminar participated in by Capitol officials and employees. She said that at around 12:30 during their lunch break, while she was chatting with other participants, Tribunalo passed behind her back and grabbed her butt by inserting his hand inside the back of her pants.
Shocked, she said she could not move immediately because she felt Tribunalo’s hand reaching the middle portion of her butt. She heard Tribunalo say, “Ahh ka sexyha gyud nimo day uy.” She said she was embarrassed and told Tribunalo, “Kalain sad nimo sir uy.”
This is a very serious allegation that should be investigated as the right of the complainant was clearly violated. She said she is willing to pursue her complaint and has executed an affidavit. She and Tribunalo had a confrontation the other day at the PWC office but Tribunalo denied the accusation saying politics is behind the complaint and that it is the handiwork of people affected by his no nonsense campaign in protecting the environment.
Pulitika sa iyang mata o gumikan sa iyang kahilig og babaye? Now comes the governor to the rescue when he said he does not believe in the accusation as he still has full trust and confidence in Tribunalo. Davide even questioned why the complainant only came out now when the incident happened five months ago. He also believes politics is behind it.
Being the governor and a lawyer, Davide should not have issued that statement. He is already pre-judging the case and showed his bias. He should give the complainant the benefit of the doubt as she is also a Capitol employee. Does this mean that, as the top executive in the province, he does not care for the welfare and protection of his female employees against the abuses and harassment from their superiors?
Davide should have observed due process by letting the investigation take its own course. Do you think the PWC or any investigative body at the Capitol could come up with a fair and unbiased finding when the governor has already prejudged the case? Yabag man ning pamahayaga.