- Petitioner
- Narvasa
- Respondent
- Sanchez
- Citation
- G.R. No. 169449
- Court
- From Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) to Civil Service Commission (CSC) to Court of Appeals (CA) to Supreme Court (SC)
- Division
- En Banc
- Ponente
- Per Curiam
- Decided
- March 26, 2010
Summary
This administrative case involves sexual harassment charges against municipal assessor Benjamin Sanchez by three female government employees. The primary issue was whether Sanchez's act of grabbing and attempting to kiss petitioner Teresita Narvasa constituted simple or grave misconduct. While lower courts reduced the penalty, the Supreme Court reinstated the finding of grave misconduct and dismissal from service. The Court emphasized that Sanchez's actions violated RA 7877, showed flagrant disregard for established rules, and represented his third sexual harassment offense, demonstrating a pattern of predatory behavior. The decision reinforced that public servants must maintain highest integrity and that length of service aggravates rather than mitigates such serious misconduct.