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EEOC calls first witness in sex harassment suit
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Posted on Dec 13 2011
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Reporter
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission called its first witness yesterday in the sexual harassment lawsuit it filed on behalf of a band singer who claimed that a then restaurant manager of a hotel made sexual advances on her.
EEOC trial attorneys Nancy Griffiths and Derek Li called to the witness stand Ivan Quichocho, vice president of operations for Tan Holdings, who went to Manila, the Philippines, where he interviewed the singer. Quichocho completed his testimony yesterday.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona completed the jury selection in the afternoon.
Griffiths conducted the opening statements for EEOC, while attorney Steven Pixley made the opening statements for defendants Asia Pacific Hotels Inc. and Tan Holdings.
When Saipan Tribune left the courtroom in the afternoon, Griffiths was still giving his opening statements.
EEOC claims that the defendants subjected the singer to a sexually hostile work environment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. EEOC alleges that the defendants are liable for damages for their conduct.
Asia Pacific Hotels Inc., which operates the Saipan Grand Hotel, and Tan Holdings, claim that the singer was motivated to file the EEOC charges because she wanted to stay in the CNMI.
The defendants also claim that they exercised reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct any sexually harassing behavior. The defendants allege that the singer unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventive or corrective opportunities provided her.
EEOC is expected to call more witnesses today, Tuesday.
