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SLU doctor faces raps

BAGUIO CITY (June 30) — City Prosecutor Benedicto Carantes found probable cause in charging Dr. Benjamin Vergara, Saint Louis University (SLU) school physician for acts of lasciviousness in relation to RA 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law.

He recommended last week that Vergara be charged in Court after finding out that “the kind of sexual harassment suffered by Lalaine A. Balajadia falls under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law’s category 4 where the supposed “sexual advances of the accused physician results to an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the student, trainee or apprentice.”

The raps stemmed from a complaint by the 25-year old pharmacy student when she went to the doctor for check-up on May 7, 2005.

Vergara has denied in his counter-affidavit that he sexually harassed Balajadia. He admitted he examined the complainant on May 7 with a stethoscope but no part of his hands touched any part of Balajadia’s body. He claimed that Balajadia “perjured herself when making the report of the incident.”

Meanwhile, Vergara is being backed by affidavits of SLU Student Assistance Office chief Salome Sanchez, including school nurse Alice Lerma who was present during Balajadia’s examination.

Vergara is also being supported by co-workers and some SLU students, who claim in their manifesto that he is “trustworthy and honest”.

Carantes noted that “a charge for sexual harassment or acts of lasciviousness is not a trivial matter. It entails having to go public with an incident that one is trying to forget. It means opening one self to public ridicule. # Artemio A. Dumlao for NORDIS

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