Former television producers Cheryl Favila and Maricar Asprec have been acquitted of sexual harassment charges following a ruling by a Quezon City court.
In a 91-page decision released on Friday, August 28, Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Angeli Albana-Garrido cleared both individuals of violating Republic Act No. 7877, or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, citing reasonable doubt.
“It is well-established in jurisprudence that in criminal law, all doubts should be resolved in favor of the accused. It is the prosecution’s duty to prove beyond reasonable doubt each and every element of the crime charged, otherwise, the accused should be acquitted, This is in consonance with the presumption of innocence enshrined in no less than the Constitution,” the decision stated.
“Wherefore, premises considered, accused Chery C. Favila and Maricar P. Asprec are hereby acquitted for the crime of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace under R.A. No. 7877 for Criminal Case No. 19-05659-CR based on reasonable doubt,” the court concluded.
The legal battle originated in 2018 when ABS-CBN entertainment anchor Gretchen Fullido filed criminal charges after the media network dismissed her initial internal grievance.
Fullido alleged that Favila, then a supervising producer, and Asprec, a segment producer for “TV Patrol,” subjected her to a hostile work environment across three years.
The “TV Patrol” anchor specifically cited text communications from Favila that she contended contained explicit sexual innuendos.