By LITO RULONA Correspondent WOMEN’S rights advocate Gabriela has thrown its support behind the mother of a 5th grader and a teacher who have accused City Central School principal Arnold Tejero of taking advantage of them. Dr. Tejero’s accusers are also winning the support of other organizations, said Rhodora Bulosan, coordinator for northern Mindanao of Gabriela. Bulosan said Gabriela would be extending moral, psychological and legal support to the alleged victims as they wage a legal battle against the principal before the City Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao. Years ago, the same group took the cudgels for a nursing graduate who sued the then chief of city hall’s health office for sexual harassment. The legal battle reached the Supreme Court and it decided in favor of the complainant. It is now considered as the landmark case for sexual harassment suits in the country today. Dr. Tejero has been charged with lascivious conduct in a complaint filed before the prosecutor’s office by Trixie (not her real name), the mother of a 5th grader. Trixie also filed another complaint against Tejero for misconduct and abuse before the ombudsman’s office. Another woman, a teacher, then filed a complaint for sexual harassment, grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct against Tejero before the ombudsman. “We had initial discussions with the victims, and we are planning to have more talks to prepare everything against” Dr. Tejero, said Bulosan. She called what he allegedly did to the women as “immoral, sinful, dishonest, corrupt, shameful and scandalous.” Bulosan said Gabriela was informed that there were more alleged victims. She called on them to muster their courage and come out in the open. “Nasayod kita nga daghan pa ang nabiktima. Mao nga nanawagan kita nga mogawas sila and they should assert their rights. Dili sila mahadlok kay anaa kita permi nga motabang kanila,” Bulosan said. Another teacher is reportedly preparing to filed another complaint against the principal. “Dili lamang nga Gabriela lang ang motabang kanila apan daghan kita og mga affiliated organizations that already signified their support for the victims. Dili nato alang-alangon kini nga klase nga principal,” she said. She said Trixie, a typical single mother, was afraid because Tejero is seen to be very influential. Bulosan said the complainant’s family was not even aware that she was the woman who sued Tejero. “Wala kabalo ang pamilya nga mipasaka siya og sumbong tungod sa kahadlok nga basin siya ang tulisokon,” she said. Bulosan, meanwhile, dared Dr. Tejero to submit his cellphone to the National Police’s cybercrime unit in Camp Alagar, Barangay Lapasan, that was used to take a photo of him and Trixie inside a motel room. She said this is to check claims made by Tejero that the copy of the photo submitted by Trixie as evidence was edited. “Kung makita nato nga edited ang maong picture, then we will automatically withdraw the criminal case filed against Tejero. Ingon ana lamang ka-simple atong gipangayo,” she said. Tejero has claimed that the original photo in his cellphone was deleted for fear that his wife might see it. By his own account, a copy was copied by Trixie via Bluetooth. Bulosan said the cybercrime unit can retrieve the deleted file. “Dili unta ilihis ni Tejero ang istorya. Mura naman hinoun og siya ang biktima. Pa-macho-macho effect baya siya. Dili unta niya i-twist. Bisan dili menor de edad ang victim, walay kapasidad ang usa ka babae manghagad sa usa ka lalaki nga moadto sila og motel. Always gyud permi ang lalaki,” Bulosan said.