Lady reporter complaints of acts of lasciviousness vs. bizman
A lady reporter from Sun.Star Bacolod whose name is being withheld, filed a criminal case of acts of lasciviousness against Ernie Pestaño of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office Tuesday in relation to an incident that transpired Friday at the office of the MBCCI in Bacolod City.
In her complaint-affidavit furnished to The News Today issued Dec, 15, 2009, she said that she was invited by MBCCI vice president Jose Maria Zayco to attend their Christmas party at the MBCCI office.
Upon her arrival at the party, she joined other media personalities namely, Mae Singuay and Danny Dancalan of Panay News and Clarence Locsin of Bombo Radyo-Bacolod. After a few minutes other media personalities arrived namely, Manny Canto of NDB, Daniel Leciones of Bombo Radyo, Gil Severino of NDB, Jerome Galunan of Sunstar and James Toga of NDB.
It was about 8 p.m. Friday, after having a full dinner, she went to the comfort room for her personal necessities and when she went out, and she saw Ernie Pestaño approaching her. “He told me that the first time he saw me, he was confused why he wanted to kiss me,” she said. She did not mind his malicious statement maybe because he was drunk and at the same time she respected him as a member of the MBCCI.
“I was seated in one of the tables together with Jose Maria Zayco, Manny Canto, Daniel Lecciones, Bobby Montelibano and Mr. Legarde of CENECO. We were discussing when Ernie Pestaño passed beside me and he tickled me which caught me by surprise. I felt ashamed because that was the first time I was tickled with malice in front of the public,” she added. “He sat beside me, and when I noticed him doing so, I immediately stood up. Thereafter, I saw him attempting to touch my legs but I was able to evade him,” she said.
She transferred to the other table where the group of Gil Severino and Gerome Galunan was seated. She was standing while talking to May when Pestaño followed her and she was surprised and shocked when he touched her buttocks by inserting his middle finger underneath. “That night she was wearing a sort of tight fitting skinny jeans, and she felt his finger when it touched my buttocks. I moved back and before I could say something about what he had done, he immediately transferred to the other table. I was still standing with the group when I was again surprised to see him standing beside me and when I was about to move away, he again touched my ass with his middle finger. Almost everybody standing saw what he did. I was about to react when he suddenly said he was sorry,” she said.
In order to avoid creating create a scene at the party, she took her bag and went outside. But she felt ashamed and humiliated of what he had done because many people saw what he did, she said.
In an interview, the reporter’s lawyer Atty. Vicente Petierre III said that an affidavit was executed by Mae Singuay to support her claims against the acts committed by Ernie Pestaño.
Petierre stressed that his client cried for justice on what the businessman did to her reason they filed the case.
“She wanted to show also to the public that media people should be respected,” Petierre added. It was on Monday when the City Hall Press Corps accompanied her Women and Children Protection Center for a blotter.
Negros Press Club President Edgar Cadagat condemned the acts saying that it is improper for that person to do that in a lady reporter, and in a respected party like MBCCI.
Meanwhile, Pestaño could not be reached for his comment but his wife said her husband will come up with an official statement soon.
