JOB SEEKER CRIES FOUL

Sexual harassment case filed against radio station manager.

Acomplaint for sexual harassment was filed against a radio broadcaster in Cebu City for allegedly molesting a female graduate who applied for a job.

In her complaint, the young woman said she was brought to a motel in Cebu City last Oct. 19, 2013 by the broadcaster, who allegedly made sexual advances with the promise of getting her a regular post in Brigada News FM, where she was assigned as a reporter after she applied for work in September.

The case was filed last Monday against Vernilo Cabusao, news and public affairs program manager, before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office for violation of Republic Act 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.

The young woman’s job status is in jeopardy as well.

She  was allegedly told after the October barangay election coverage , that “she is no longer allowed to report” for work.
Cabusao, meanwhile,  went on leave last  Tuesday.

In a phone interview, Cabusao denied the allegation of harassment and said he would answer the complaint “at the right time and proper forum” when he reads it.

“Wala koy gihadlokan kay wala man koy sala. Wala gyud koy nahimong sala. Akong atubangon ang kaso (I’m not afraid of anything because I have not committed any mistake. I never did what they are accusing me of. I will face the charges filed against me),” he said.

Station manager Noel Esin was included in the complaint for allegedly not acting on the matter when it was brought to his attention by a male news correspondent to whom the woman confided her problem.

The correspondent, Russel Martin Fullozas, was later sent a memo about his work performance and “failing to respond to a news (event).”

Sensing he was being eased out of work, Fullozas said he asked the woman if she would pursue her complaint.   He  later  executed an affidavit supporting her case.
Fullozas said that after the barangay elections coverage in October, the station’s chief of reporters told the young woman “she is no longer allowed to report for some reason.”

Under RA 7877, the employer or head of office shall be held “solidarily liable for damage” arising from acts of sexual harassment made in the workplace if he or she is informed of the acts by the victim and does not take immediate action.

The prosecutor’s office has yet to start its own investigation into the allegations.

DAMAGE DONE

Cabusao, who is married, turned emotional when he talked about how the complaint has damaged his reputation.

“I have not been involved in a controversy for the past years. People should remember that to file a case is one thing and to prove an accusation is another. It’s easy to accuse a person of a wrongdoing. But I really haven’t done anything wrong. I’m faithful to my family,” he told Cebu Daily News.

“Damage has been done but I know all these are just obstacles which I need to face,” Cabusao said.
The FM station in Cebu City, owned by Brigada Mass Media Corporation, is less than a year old and holds office at the Mariner’s Court in Pier 1. It airs local content, talk and music, and uses the license owned by Smash Radio.

In her complaint-affidavit, the young woman, a mass communication graduate of a college in Leyte province, said she applied for a job in the FM radio station in September 2013.
A month after, she was interviewed by the station manager and was assigned in the reportorial department, she said.

“Supposedly, I was accepted at (another) company and about to start but I refused because this is my childhood dream to work in the media,” the young  woman said.

She said Cabusao texted her on Oct. 19,  asking to visit her in her boarding house so they could have a drinking session.
“I was hesitant (to refuse) but he is my immediate supervisor,” she said.

He drove her instead to a motel in Mabolo, Cebu City and told her in Cebuano “stop complaining or else I won’t hire you” when she tried to resist, according to the account.
She said Cabusao undressed and tried to have sex with her but she refused. After that, the broadcaster told her not to tell anyone about what happened between them.

Two days after, when she returned to work,  the young woman said she noted the broadcaster’s attitude toward her “began to sour” and no more mention was made about her regularization.

On Oct. 26, a week after the encounter, she confided to a male Brigada  News correspondent Russel Fullozas about the motel visit.
Fullozos, in his own affidavit, said  he raised the matter to the station manager Esin “but unfortunately  no action was taken about the sexual incident  or investigation made.”

After the barangay election coverage in October,  Fullozas said the station’s acting chief of reporters told the young woman “she is no longer allowed to report for some reason.”

The woman  said the experience has left her feeling “anxious, nervous” and that she wanted to “scratch the face of Mr. Cabusao whenever I see him.”
“I was alone and no one could help me for I am just a probinsyana with no family to lend a hand here in Cebu,” she said.

Fullozas said that in December, the radio station manager, Esin,  told the staff there was a new network policy and read aloud the part which stated that any immediate superiors involved in sexual harassment would  be automatically discharged  from the Brigada Station.

The next month Fullozas was called in to the station manager’s office where they talked about his performance as a Talisay beat correspondent. In Feb. 4, he received a memo about his “failure to respond to a news (event).”