By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

ANOTHER staff member of the Legislative Bureau is accusing its director of verbally abusing her and is threatening to file a lawsuit against him.
Vicky T. Guerrero, the journal clerk in the House of Representatives, said LB Director Joaquin Omar’s “abusive behavior is just too much.”
“I cannot bear this any longer and I advised the deputy director that I will do everything in my power as an employee of the government to file a lawsuit against Mr. Omar for verbal abuse,” she said in her letter to Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan, and Senate President Joseph M. Mendiola, Covenant-Tinian.
Omar declined to comment and told Variety to talk to his deputy director, Glenna Palacios-Reyes.
She said the issue is now with the presiding officers of the Legislature.
“(Guerrero) went through the proper channels to air her concerns. It’s up to the leaders of the Legislature now because the grievance procedure was filed against the director,” Palacios-Reyes said.
In her letter to Mendiola and Babauta, Guerrero said Omar spoke to her harshly over a transcribing machine issue.
On March 29, Guerrero said while she was practicing for the State of the Judiciary Address, that was to be held on the following day, she was verbally harassed by Omar.
“I was in the House chamber along with the deputy director, speaker’s PIO Mike Evangelista, Ms. Acha Cruz, the speaker’s secretary, and the House sergeant-at-arms, Mr. Taisacan, when Mr. Omar opened the main entrance of the chamber and shouted: ‘Eat s**t and f****** die.’ This was triggered by the speech prepared by the deputy director and that it had his name under acknowledgment,” said Guerrero.
“But it did not end there. Mr. Omar came back into the chamber within minutes and I quote him, ‘If you say my name tomorrow during the function, I would have stood up and let everyone know that I will fire your f****** a**,’ ” she added.
Last year, a staff member of Rep. Edwin Aldan, Covenant-Tinian, also complained to Mendiola and Babauta that she was verbally abused by Omar.
Amelia C. Shai said the incident occurred after she slipped in the hallway of the Legislature’s building where a wooden ramp was located.
She said she reported the incident to Omar so that others wouldn’t suffer the same fate but instead she heard harsh words.
“I felt extremely humiliated being talked to in that nature in public and it really hurt my feelings,” she said in her letter. “I was merely letting the bureau know that the wooden ramp in its current state was dangerous and to try to rectify the problem before another incident occurs that may lead to litigation.”
“I was really disappointed and shocked by how Director Omar approached me,” she added.