The Office of the Ombudsman filed an Information for violation of Republic Act No. 7877 (Anti-Sexual Harassment Act) before the Sandiganbayan against Assistant Regional Director Jaime Eclavea of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Based on the affidavit, complainant applied in August 2011 for the position of Administrative Assistant at DSWD. During the first week, DSWD personnel attended various official functions and complainant was invited to Eclavea’s lodging house in Tacloban City. Complainant was instructed by Eclavea to sleep with him in his room where the sexual assault took place. Complainant was “made to act as a personal assistant, and during overnight trips, respondent would order [complainant] to sleep beside him.” In September 2011, Eclavea threatened complainant with termination of employment.
In his counter-affidavit, the respondent alleged that the charges against him “constitute malicious fabrication of lies out to destroy his 34 years of government service.”
In its Resolution, the Ombudsman explained that “for sexual harassment to exist under R.A. No. 7877, there must be (a) demand, request or requirement of sexual favor (b) the same is made as a precondition to hiring, re-employment or continued employment; or (c) the denial thereof results in discrimination against the employee.”
According to the Ombudsman, “the demand was accompanied with a threat that if complainant declines, [complainant] would not be hired as Administrative Assistant under the Kalahi-CIDDS program.”###