By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
A TEACHER has come forward and slapped embattled City Central School principal Arnold Tejero with a complaint for sexual harassment, the Gold Star Daily learned yesterday.
Another teacher has also threatened to file a similar complaint, alleging that she, too, was sexually harassed by the principal.
In a seven-page complaint, teacher Joanna (not her real name) accused Dr. Tejero of allegedly subjecting her to sexual harassment on several occasions.
Joanna also accused Tejero of grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority in her complaint filed with the Office of the Ombudsman last week.
The complaint was filed after the mother of a 5th grader pressed charges of acts of lasciviousness and abuse of authority against Tejero before the ombudsman and the City Prosecutor’s Office, respectively, for bringing her to a motel and of allegedly trying to be intimate with her there in May.
Tejero has admitted to bringing Trixie (not her real name) to Resonance motel (formerly Renaissance) along Kauswagan highway but strongly denied that he touched the mother.
Joanna, the new complainant, asked the ombudsman to issue a preventive suspension order against the principal of the region’s most populous public school.
She alleged that Tejero used his authority as principal in trying to get away with his alleged sexual advances and indecent proposals to her inside the campus.
Joanna quoted Tejero as allegedly telling her things like “Mag-date ta,” “Mang-laag ta,” “Kita na duha ha,” and “Unsa man manglakaw nata?” among others.
She also alleged that Tejero has even shared stories about his sex life to her, and that she recorded some of his alleged indecent proposals to her with her cellphone.
Joanna cited an incident that took place at around midday of Aug. 30 when Tejero allegedly held and squeezed her hand while she was about to go to the school canteen. She said Tejero told her, “I love you.”
The teacher alleged that Tejero imposed a misplaced superiority on her, dampening her “spirit and her capacity for advancement,” and that such alleged abuse affected her sense of judgment.
Joanna accused Tejero of violating the law on sexual harassment in a workelated or employment environment even as she cited his superior position or rank in the education department.
“He is liable for grave abuse of authority and oppressive conduct… Tejero had dealt in a cavalier and arrogant attitude towards me and the public,” reads part of her complaint. “It must be stressed that Tejero brought dishonor to the administration of fair and honest ethical standards in particular and, to the public service in general.”
She added: “Tejero failed to live up to the standards of honesty and integrity required in the public service. In the words of the Constitution, public office is a public trust and Tejero betrayed this trust. Under Civil Service rules, gross misconduct is a grave offense and punishable by dismissal.”
Meanwhile, another teacher revealed to this paper that she was contemplating on suing Tejero for sexual harassment for allegedly squeezing her buttock while she was punching her daily time record at the principal’s office.
“Nakalukso ko kay gikalit lang niya og komot akong sampot,” the teacher said.
She also alleged that Tejero told her, “Naibog kaayo ko sa imong sampot.”
Tejero was out of his office when he was sought for comment.
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