BY CZARINA NICOLE ONG-KI
A high-ranking official and several employees from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. Region 4-A who enjoyed a lap dance inside their office in 2019 are facing a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights Monday for allegedly violating the Magna Carta of Women.
A group of eight women wrote CHR Commissioner Jose Luis Martin Gascon a letter asking him to investigate PhilHealth Regional Vice President Paolo Johann Perez and the concerned Region 4-A employees for allowing a lap dance to take place inside work premises.
The complainants are Joanna Bernice Coronacion from the Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), Judy Ann Chan Miranda from Partido Manggagawa (PM), Amparo Miciano Sykioco from the Pambansang Kongreso ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK), Janina Luz Cruz Sarmiento, Jean Enriquez from the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), Ana Maria Nemezo of WomanHealth Philippines, Ellene Sana of Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA), and Murna Hernandez Jimenez.
Sen. Richard Gordon revealed the lap dance during a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.
“Perez enjoyed the performance and was seen smiling in the video. He did not prevent the incident, or report and issue any reprimand to the employees who brought the girl,” he said.
The finding was part of the committee report on its investigation on alleged PhilHealth anomalies in August 2019.
The girl and the lap dance were given to Perez as a birth anniversary gift. The dancer, wearing nothing but her underwear, was placed inside a box. When the dancer appeared, she gyrated provocatively in front of Perez while his employees looked on.
The complainants said that the purchase of a woman by PhilHealth employees and the condonation of Perez showed how women are used as entertainment for sexual pleasure.
They said that the lap dance violated Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women.
Section 5 states that government officials should “protect women against discrimination and from violation of their rights by private corporations, entities, and individuals” as well as “promote and fulfill the rights of women in all spheres, including their rights to substantive equality and non-discrimination.”
The complainants further stressed that the PhilHealth officials should have adhered to the provisions of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Section 4(c) said that officials should be just and sincere in the performance of their duties and “refrain from doing acts contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public safety, and public interest.”
