Lawmaker loses first round in sexual harassment case

A Zambales congressman who has been accused of sexually harassing a member of the entertainment group Viva Hot Babes lost Round 1 of the case yesterday.

The House ethics committee voted to proceed to inquire into the complaint filed against Rep. Antonio Diaz by Ana Leah Javier after finding it sufficient in form and substance.

Committee chairman Rep. Roberto Cajes of Bohol ordered that Diaz be furnished a copy of the complaint and gave the respondent 10 days to submit his comment.

It was Rep. Loretta Ann Rosales of the party-list group Akbayan who moved that the committee entertain and investigate the complaint.

Javier said the committee’s decision proves wrong the popular belief that Congress is an "old boys’ club."

"We would just have to wait now. There is no turning back. It does not end here," she said.

Veronika Coady, her manager, is also a complainant in the case. She declined to comment, saying, "The facts have been placed before the ethics committee, and to comment further might be construed as seeking publicity."

She said they have trust in the "impartiality" of the ethics panel.

The case stemmed from what Javier and Coady described as Diaz’s questionable behavior during the recent birthday party of Zambales Gov. Vicente Magsaysay.

Diaz had asked Coady for the services of Hot Babes member Jennifer Lee, who was to do song-and-dance numbers for Magsaysay and his guests. But instead of Lee, Coady brought Javier to the birthday celebration.

According to the complainants, the congressman kissed Javier and at one point during the celebration told her to proceed to his resort.

Diaz has denied the sexual harassment charge. In a privilege speech, he said he felt shortchanged since Coady brought Javier when he had asked and paid for Lee.

Javier and Coady have filed a similar complaint before the Department of Justice.