Gretchen Fullido versus Ces Drilon belies ‘victim-shaming’ claims, mulls legal action
ABS-CBN News anchor and reporter Gretchen Fullido on Friday filed criminal charges against a former network producer and several colleagues, citing sexual harassment, libel and victim-shaming.
In a news release posted on Facebook, Fullido’s lawyer Marvin Aceron said the reporter, a showbiz anchor on TV Patrol, filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office a sexual harassment complaint against Cheryl Favila, former TV Patrol supervising producer, and Maricar Asprec, a segment producer.
“Fullido alleged that Favila and Asprec sent her text messages that were loaded with sexual innuendos, which amounted to requests for sexual favors,” read the statement.
It said that when Fullido refused, Favila and Asprec “retaliated and made it difficult for her to work as a reporter and news anchor for TV Patrol.” The cycle allegedly went on for three years.
Fullido earlier filed an administrative complaint against the two at the network because of the alleged lewd advances.
ABS-CBN Corp found Favila liable for gross misconduct
According to the news release, the management of ABS-CBN Corp found Favila liable for gross misconduct while dismissing the sexual harassment case against her, leading to her dismissal from the company.
In a statement, ABS-CBN said it respects Fullido’s right to pursue criminal cases against former and current co-workers.
It said that ABS-CBN takes sexual harassment allegations seriously and does not condone such acts in the workplace or by its employees. The company stressed that it acted promptly on the administrative case Fullido filed against Favila and Asprec and decided based on the evidence presented.
The anchor also filed libel charges against ABS-CBN News executives Ces Drilon and Venancio Borromeo, and news reporter Marie Lozano, for allegedly damaging her reputation when they said her administrative complaint was a way to leverage her employment status in the network.
In her complaint, Fullido alleged that Drilon “resorted to victim shaming and imputed statements that [she] deserved to be harassed, since Fullido allegedly was willing to wear a bikini with an inflatable pool with bubbles to shove up the ratings of TV Patrol.”
Below is ABS-CBN’s full statement:
PRESS STATEMENT ON GRETCHEN FULLIDO’S CASE VS ABS-CBN NEWS EXECUTIVES
ABS-CBN respects the right of news anchor and reporter Gretchen Marie Fullido to bring her sexual harassment
complaint to the courts. Now that she has filed charges with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office, we expect all
parties to allow the legal process to take its course.
ABS-CBN takes sexual harassment seriously and does not condone such acts in the workplace or by its employees.
When Ms. Fullido filed an administrative case against a supervising producer and a segment producer for alleged
sexual harassment in November 2017, the company took prompt action on the administrative complaint and decided
based on the evidence presented.
Drilon advocacy over women protection
In a statement, Drilon, a former news anchor, said it was “unthinkable” for her to “belittle” victims of sexual abuse
as she was also a “victim of sexual harassment before.”
“Throughout my life, I have been an advocate of women’s rights and women’s empowerment,” Drilon said.
“It is unthinkable for me to say what Gretchen Fullido alleges,” she said.
TV Patrol employees faces charges against Showbiz reporter
“I would never belittle any woman coming out to speak of any abuse committed against her. It is everything against
I stand for as a woman,” she said.
Fullido on Friday filed sexual harassment charges against former TV Patrol supervising producer Cheryl Favila and
segment producer Maricar Asprec at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
The criminal charges were filed after the ABS-CBN management found Favila liable for gross misconduct while
dismissing the sexual harassment case against her, leading to her dismissal from the company, Fullido’s statement read.
Fullido also filed libel charges against Drilon, ABS-CBN News executive Venancio Borromeo, and news reporter
Marie Lozano, for allegedly damaging her reputation when they said her administrative complaint was a way to
leverage her employment status in the network.
Drilon’s action over Fullido’s alligations
In a statement released by Fullido’s lawyer Marvin Aceron, the TV anchor’s camp alleged that Drilon resorted to
victim-shaming when she said “Fullido deserved to be harassed” since the showbiz reporter was “willing to wear
a bikini with an inflatable pool with bubbles to shove up the ratings of TV Patrol.” Drilon denied the allegations and
described Fullido’s claims as “an attack on her reputation.”
“I was asked to testify in an internal, confidential investigation into Gretchen’s allegations and some of what I said
during the investigation have been distorted,” Drilon, Content Acquisition Head of the ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem Group, said.
“I reserve the right to consider legal proceedings against these false allegations and attack on my reputation,” she said.
Earlier this year, Drilon spoke at a female empowerment forum where she recounted how she experienced sexual
assault herself during her early years as a reporter.
The criminal accusations were recorded after the ABS-CBN administration discovered Favila at risk for gross offense
while rejecting the lewd behavior body of evidence against her, prompting her expulsion from the organization,
Fullido’s announcement perused.
Fullido additionally documented slander charges against Drilon, ABS-CBN News official Venancio Borromeo, and
news columnist Marie Lozano, for purportedly harming her notoriety when they said her managerial grumbling was
an approach to use her work status in the system.
In an announcement discharged by Fullido’s legal counselor Marvin Aceron, the TV stay’s camp asserted that Drilon
turn to casualty disgracing when she said “Fullido had the right bother” since the showbiz correspondent
was “ready to wear a swimsuit with an inflatable pool with rises to push the evaluations of TV Patrol.” Drilon denied
the affirmations and depicted Fullido’s cases as “an assault on her notoriety.”
Drilons request to affirm in an interior, private examination
“I request to affirm in an interior, private examination concerning Gretchen’s assertions and some of what I said
amid the examination mutilate,” Drilon, Content Acquisition Head of the ABS-CBN Lifestyle Ecosystem Group, said.
“I maintain whatever authority need to think about legitimate procedures against these false assertions and assault
on my notoriety,” she said.
Recently, Drilon talk at a female strengthening discussion where she relate how she encounter rape herself amid
her initial a very long time as a columnist.
Drilon was additionally explicitly disgrace online after netizens guarantee that she “assault” by the Abu Sayyaf
amid her 2008 kidnapping. Drilon has over and again denied such cases. In its announcement, ABS-CBN said it regards
Hence Fullido’s entitlement to seek after criminal bodies of evidence against previous and current associates.
It said that ABS-CBN considers inappropriate behavior charges important and does not excuse such acts in the working
environment or by its representatives. The organization focused on that it acted instantly on the managerial body of evidence
Fullido documented against Favila and Asprec and chose in view of the proof exhibited.
