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Friday, March 29, 2024

Former labor attaché sued for abusing woman staffer

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A complaint has been filed with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Batangas against a farm owner and former labor attache by his female administrative staffer, who claims she was sexually abused and ridiculed publicly by her boss.

Jeffrey Cortazar, who owns and operates Dream Farm Victories Corp., was charged on April 1 with alleged violation of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act by Mary Grace Florence Gamez, 30, a native of Lian, Batangas, official documents showed.

Cortazar, 63, had served as a labor attaché in Beirut, Lebanon during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. 

The Manila Standard could not reach him for comment at press time despite requests coursed through his farm company and their social media accounts.

Gamez, the complainant, said she started working as Cortazar’s staff in August 2018. 

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Her work required her to accompany the respondent to the seminars of DV Boer Farm, handle corporate books and other bookkeeping tasks.

However, weeks after Gamez started her work, she said Cortazar allegedly began making advances, professing his love for her, and telling her that the way she took care of his business made him fall in love with her.

The complainant dismissed his advances and told Cortazar that she does not want to have a relationship with her employer.

Gamez said when Cortazar celebrated his birthday in a resort in Matabungkay, the latter drank too much and asked her to bring him to his apartment in Barangay Quatro, Lian, Batangas.

The complainant said she accompanied her boss to his apartment together with his driver. 

When they were inside the apartment, the respondent sent his driver outside and demanded Gamez give him a bath.

The complainant refused, but Cortazar allegedly scolded her for giving malice to his request. 

She then acceded, but Gamez said the respondent took advantage of the situation and succeeded in having sex with her.

She said Cortazar repeatedly professed his love for her and even told her that he will introduce her to his family as his girlfriend. 

Gamez said in the affidavit that she noticed Cortazar would hug and kiss his other female employees at the farm.

She said sometime in October or November 2018, she accompanied Cortazar to a general assembly of subfarms, and they went to his townhouse in Malate, Manila, where she met his househelper. 

The complainant said Cortazar allegedly sexually abused the househelper while promising the latter a place in the board of directors of the farm.

Gamez said she managed to get out of the house despite the respondent’s effort to stop her.

Since she had no relatives in Manila, Gamez said she decided to meet her former boyfriend, who brought her to a nearby hotel where she spent the night alone.

When she returned to Batangas, Cortazar accused her of cheating on him with her ex-boyfriend. He repeated this accusation whenever they were with other people to humiliate her, Gamez said.

She said the respondent even cut her hair without her permission, prompting the woman to go to her mother. 

She said Cortazar followed her and reiterated the accusation before Gamez’s mother.

The complainant said Cortazar would repeat the accusation before the farm employees, her neighbors, friends, and relatives.

She said the respondent sent his driver to fetch her so they could talk, but when she arrived at her employer’s house, Cortazar told her to undress and instructed the driver to record a video of them having sex. Gamez said she refused and struggled to get out of the house.

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