Army officer faces sexual harassment raps

MANILA, Philippines — A ranking officer of the Philippine Army is facing criminal charges before the Sandiganbayan over alleged sexual advances on his subordinates in 2013.

Filed by the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices, the charges against Col. Jessie Mario Dosado involve three counts of violation of Republic Act 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.

On May 16, 2013, Dosado, then the commanding officer of the Philippine Army Procurement Center, allegedly ordered a female subordinate with the rank of master sergeant to watch him have sex with “Miss Glacy.”

The subordinate supposedly obliged but Dosado was not contented and asked her “to join them in an orgy.”

On Oct. 22, 2013, Dosado, during his term as assistant chief of the Philippine Army Staff and Logistics office, alleged ordered his secretary to wipe his back and give him a bath while he was naked.

The sexual advances were supposedly repeated on Oct. 25, 2013, when Dosada allegedly ordered the same secretary to apply lotion on his genitals, asked her how she feels about seeing him naked and compared his size to another man.

All the three instances supposedly took place at the Philippine Army headquarters at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

The prosecution said the “sexual favors and gestures” demanded by Dosado “resulted in a hostile or offensive working environment” for the two female subordinates, who are set to testify against Dosado.

Bail is not required for sexual harassment cases as the penalty is usually a fine, but the court may still impose a prison sentence.