The provincial prosecution office of Palawan has dismissed the sexual harassment complaint filed by a former Narra local government employee against its town mayor, Gerandy Danao, stating that the evidence presented did not establish “probable cause” needed to bring the case to court.
The complaint was reviewed by prosecution attorney Kristine Grace Apellido, who ruled in a resolution issued February 3 that there was no “existence of probable cause because [the] petitioner presented only uncorroborated allegations”.
“Gadayan failed to overcome the burden of proof to establish probable cause against Danao,” the prosecutor’s resolution stated.
The resolution also noted that there were “contrary declarations” made by other personalities allegedly involved in the “transaction.”
The case was filed by Joanne Gadayan, cousin of Danao’s political opponent, board member Clarito “Prince” Demaala IV, in 2019.
The complainant alleged that the sexual harassment incident happened in October 2019 while she and her companion were walking at Barangay Panacan Fish Port and Danao allegedly harassed her using offensive words.
Danao’s camp welcomed the decision of the prosecutor’s office. Jojo Gastanes, the spokesperson of Danao, earlier dismissed the complaint as mere political harassment intended to thwart the former’s re-election bid.
“Nagpapasalamat sya dahil na-dismiss ng piskalya. Ibig sabihin walang katotohanan ang nangyari kaya nagpapasalamat siya sa mga abogado at tumulong,” Gastanes said.
“Ang basa namin d’yan ay sinisiraan lang siya, ngayon ay bumalik sa kanila. Makatutulong ‘yon [sa kanyang re-election] na mas tumaas ang tiwala ng tao sa kanya,” Gastanes said.
