Kalayaan mayor Roberto del Mundo has voluntarily surrendered, posting a P30,000 bond for two counts of gender-based online sexual harassment.
A court document obtained by Palawan News stated that his posted bail was accepted and his provisional release was ordered on December 14, 2021, by Presiding Judge Rohima Sarra of Branch 2, Municipal Trial Court in Cities of the 4th Judicial Region.
His arraignment and pre-trial has been scheduled for next year. The court warned Del Mundo failure to attend without justification will result in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.
Del Mundo was accused by two former female employees of the Kalayaan municipal government for violating Section 12 of Republic Act 11313 or “Safe Spaces Act”, which pertains to Gender-Based Sexual Harassment in Streets, Public Spaces, Online, Workplaces, and Educational or Training Institutions.
Alias Mildred and alias Ruby accused Del Mundo had sent them lewd text messages and “indecent proposals”. When they refused, they claimed the mayor removed them from their jobs.
The two complainants said he started sexually harassing them in May and in June 2020. In May this year, Mildred and Ruby went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ask for its help in filing a case against Del Mundo.
Del Mundo has not responded to Palawan News’ attempts to contact him for comments.