This case is complicated but thought-provoking.
“Teleperformance employee John Gerard ‘Mara’ La Torre, 22, has sued security supervisor Mineleus Llegunas and lady guard Anne May Pacheco of the NC Lanting Security Specialty Agency for not allowing him to use the ladies’ room,” reports Chito Chavez in Tempo.
Llegunas and Pacheco are assigned at the Teleperformance office at SM Fairview.
In his complaint-affidavit, La Torre said that “in the morning of Feb 20, while he was using the comfort room for female in their office at Teleperformance, Pacheco approached and asked him to go out of the comfort room since he is not allowed to use it since it is only for females.”
Pacheo had reportedly told him, “Ma’am, bawal po kayo dito (Ma’am, you’re not allowed there).” To which, La Torre answered, “Bakit, babae naman ako (Why? I am a woman).”
Their debate escalated to include Llegunas and even the Human Resources department of Teleperformance.
As such, La Torre has now charged Llegunas and Pacheco with unjust vexation and violation of Section 1 of QC Ordinance SP-1309, S-2003, which states that “all discriminatory acts committed against homosexual in the matter of hiring, treatment in any office in Quezon City, whether in government or private office sector, are hereby declared as unlawful.”
Also: Didn’t the guard call him “Ma’am”?
Photo from MorgueFile
