ABS-CBN says it respects reporter’s right to file suit

MANILA – 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.

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

5 October 2018

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.