1) What “harassment” can mean under Philippine law

In the Philippines, “harassment” is not always a single, one-size-fits-all crime. The right place to file—and the evidence you’ll need—depends on what kind of harassment happened, where it happened, who did it, and your relationship to them. Harassment complaints commonly fall under these legal buckets:

A. Sexual harassment (work, school, training; authority or influence)

Covers unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal/physical conduct of a sexual nature that affects a person’s dignity, work/school performance, or creates a hostile environment. It may be:

In workplaces
In educational/training institutions
In settings where the offender has authority, influence, or moral ascendancy

Typical conduct: persistent sexual jokes, lewd comments, unwanted touching, coercive “date me or else,” sexually suggestive messages from a superior/teacher, quid pro quo demands, hostile environment behavior.

B. Gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces and online

Covers street/public harassment and online harassment motivated by gender or sexuality or of a sexual nature.

Typical conduct: catcalling, wolf-whistling, sexist slurs, leering and stalking in public, unwanted sexual remarks, unsolicited sexual content, doxxing or threats with sexual content, repeated unwanted DMs, “send nudes,” sexual humiliation online.

C. Safe Spaces concerns inside workplaces and schools

Many incidents inside workplaces and schools may be addressed through internal mechanisms, even if they also qualify for criminal or civil action.

D. Cyber harassment / online abuse (non-sexual or sexual)

Depending on the acts, online harassment may fall under:

Computer-related offenses (e.g., illegal access, identity misuse)
Online threats, coercion, libel/defamation, or privacy violations
Harassment through repeated unwanted communications

E. Threats, coercion, unjust vexation, alarm-and-scandal type conduct

Non-sexual harassment may be prosecuted as:

Grave threats / light threats
Grave coercion / light coercion
Unjust vexation (a catch-all for acts that annoy, irritate, or disturb without lawful purpose and without fitting a specific offense)
Other public-order offenses depending on the facts

F. Stalking and related protective remedies

“Stalking” can overlap with:

Threats/coercion
Gender-based harassment
Violence against women and children protections (if intimate/dating relationship or certain contexts apply)

G. Harassment in domestic/intimate contexts (partner, ex, dating, spouse; women/children victims)

If the victim is a woman or child and the offender is a spouse, ex-spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, ex, or someone with whom the victim had a dating or sexual relationship, certain acts of harassment may be covered by laws on violence against women and their children, including psychological violence, threats, stalking-like patterns, and control/abuse through messages.

2) First practical step: classify the incident

Before filing, classify your case using these questions:

Where did it happen?
- Workplace / school
- Public space (street, transport, mall)
- Online platforms
- Home or intimate relationship context
What did the person do?
- Sexual comments, lewd jokes, unwanted touching
- Persistent messaging, repeated calls, following
- Threats (“I’ll hurt you,” “I’ll ruin you,” “I’ll share your photos”)
- Public humiliation, doxxing, posting private content
Who is the respondent?
- Superior/manager/teacher/coach
- Co-worker/classmate
- Stranger
- Partner/ex or family member
What harm or risk is present?
- Immediate danger, stalking patterns, threats, escalation
- Impact on work/school or mental health

This classification determines the best filing path.

3) Where to file harassment complaints (Philippine setting)

You can often file in more than one place: (a) internal administrative process, (b) barangay, (c) police/prosecutor for criminal, (d) civil case for damages/protection orders, and (e) specialized offices depending on victim/offender relationship.

A. Workplace harassment: HR, Committee, and administrative remedies

Where to file:

Company HR
Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) or equivalent body (common in government and many private workplaces)
Immediate supervisor or designated officer under company policy

Why file internally:

Faster protective steps: separation, no-contact rules, schedule changes, workplace investigation, sanctions.
Supports later cases: internal findings and documented reports can become evidence.

When internal filing is not enough:

If there’s assault, threats, stalking, coercion, severe harassment, or the workplace refuses to act—consider criminal/civil routes.

B. School-based harassment: school authorities and student discipline bodies

Where to file:

Office of the Dean/Principal
Student affairs / Discipline office
Gender and Development (GAD) office or Safe Spaces focal person, if present
Guidance office (for support and documentation)

What the school can do:

Impose disciplinary sanctions
Provide safety accommodations (class changes, protective measures)

C. Public spaces harassment: local enforcement and police

Where to file:

Police station (Women and Children Protection Desk where applicable, or general desk)
City/municipal anti-harassment desk where local Safe Spaces enforcement exists
Barangay if you seek mediation for certain disputes (see limitations below)

D. Online harassment: police cyber units and prosecutor

Where to file:

PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) or local cybercrime units
NBI Cybercrime Division (especially for tracing anonymous perpetrators)
Office of the City/Provincial Prosecutor for criminal complaints

E. Intimate partner / VAWC-type harassment: barangay and courts for protection orders + police

If the harassment is tied to a dating/sexual relationship or involves violence, threats, coercion, stalking-like behavior, or psychological abuse against women/children:

Barangay: can issue a Barangay Protection Order (BPO) in qualifying cases and help immediate safety measures.
Courts: may issue a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) or Permanent Protection Order (PPO).
Police / prosecutor: for criminal complaint and immediate assistance.

F. Barangay filing: when it helps (and when it doesn’t)

Barangay-level dispute resolution (Katarungang Pambarangay) can be a practical entry point for:

Neighbor disputes
Non-urgent harassment without severe threats or violence
Community conflicts where parties live/work in the same locality

Important limitations (practical):

If there is immediate danger, severe threats, sexual violence, or certain protected categories, barangay conciliation may not be appropriate and you may proceed directly to law enforcement/courts.
Some cases require direct filing with prosecutor or court depending on the law and circumstances.

G. Office of the Prosecutor: the common route for criminal cases

If you want the offender charged criminally:

File a complaint-affidavit with supporting evidence at the Office of the City/Provincial Prosecutor where the offense occurred (or where elements of the offense occurred, especially for online acts).

The prosecutor conducts preliminary investigation (for many offenses) to determine probable cause.

4) What evidence helps most (and how to preserve it)

Evidence in harassment cases is often digital (messages, calls, social media posts) plus human testimony and context (workplace records, CCTV, medical/psychological documentation). The strongest evidence is usually: contemporaneous, complete, and traceable.

A. Digital communications (messages, emails, chats)

What helps:

Screenshots showing:
- Full message thread (not isolated lines)
- Date/time stamps
- Profile/username/number
- Any threats, sexual content, coercion, repeated unwanted contact
Exported chat logs where possible (download conversation tools)
Emails with full headers if available

Best practice:

Keep the entire conversation, not just the worst parts.
Capture context before and after the harassing messages to show pattern and intent.

B. Social media posts, comments, stories, and live content

What helps:

Screenshots + screen recordings (for stories that disappear)
Permalinks/URLs saved (even if later deleted)
Witnesses who saw it before it was taken down
Reports/acknowledgments from the platform (if you reported it)

Preservation tip:

Record the screen while scrolling to show continuity and authenticity (profile page → post → comments).

C. Call logs, voicemails, recordings

What helps:

Call logs showing repeated calls (frequency matters)
Voicemail audio files
Any saved voice messages
Recordings of threats or admissions (be mindful that recording rules and admissibility can be fact-specific; preserve but avoid distributing)

D. Photos, videos, CCTV

What helps:

CCTV footage from workplace, building admin, transport hubs, malls
Phone videos showing following, blocking your path, grabbing, intimidation
Time/date and location markers

Action step:

Request CCTV promptly; many systems overwrite footage within days.

E. Witness evidence

What helps:

Witness statements/affidavits from people who:
- Saw the incident
- Heard remarks
- Observed stalking patterns
- Received forwarded admissions from the harasser

Practice:

Get witness accounts early while memory is fresh.

F. Medical and psychological documentation

Harassment cases often involve anxiety, panic, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, depressive symptoms, or trauma responses.

What helps:

Medical certificates for physical injuries
Psychological evaluations, therapy notes, or psychiatrist certificates
Proof of treatment costs (for damages)

G. Workplace/school records (often overlooked but powerful)

What helps:

Incident reports filed with HR/school
Emails to supervisors or administrators reporting the harassment
Minutes of meetings, CODI records, show-cause memos
Schedules showing proximity, assignments, forced interactions
Access logs (ID swipes), security logbooks

Key idea: A report made close in time to the incident boosts credibility.

H. Pattern evidence (for repeated harassment/stalking)

Even if individual acts look “minor,” the pattern can show harassment:

Timeline of incidents
Frequency and escalation
Prior warnings or requests to stop
Blocking/creating new accounts to continue contact

A simple incident journal is useful:

Date, time, place
What happened (verbatim words if possible)
Who was present
How you responded
Any evidence captured

I. Identity and attribution evidence (who did it?)

This is crucial when the harasser denies ownership of an account/number.

What helps:

Profile identifiers (usernames, IDs, linked phone/email)
Repeated interaction history
Photos, writing style, mutual connections
Admissions (“Yes, it’s me”)
SIM registration/account registration records obtainable through lawful process
IP/device tracing via NBI/PNP cyber units (more feasible when serious offenses exist)

5) Steps to file a complaint: a practical roadmap

Step 1: Prioritize safety and immediate risk

If there are threats of harm, stalking, or escalating behavior:

Avoid meeting alone
Tell trusted people
Document immediately
Consider emergency police assistance and protective remedies

Step 2: Preserve evidence properly

Screenshot + screen record
Back up to cloud/email/USB
Keep original files (don’t edit)
Note date/time/location
Save URLs and account details

Step 3: Decide the filing track(s)

You can pursue one or several:

A. Administrative (work/school):

File incident report
Request interim measures (no-contact, schedule change)
Provide evidence copies

B. Barangay:

For local disputes and certain protective actions, depending on context

C. Criminal complaint:

Prepare complaint-affidavit with attachments
File with prosecutor (or police for blotter/assistance and referral)

D. Civil remedies:

For damages and/or protection orders where applicable

Step 4: Prepare your complaint-affidavit (core document)

A good affidavit is:

Chronological
Specific (who/what/when/where/how)
Supported with annexes (labeled evidence)

Include:

Your personal details (as required by filing office)
Details of respondent (name, address if known, account identifiers)
Full narration of events
How it affected you (fear, distress, work/school impact)
Prior attempts to stop it (telling them to stop, blocking, reports)
List of evidence (Annex “A,” “B,” etc.)
Witness names and what they can attest to

Step 5: Expect the initial process

Depending on where you file:

Work/school: fact-finding/investigation; respondent asked to answer; hearings may happen; protective measures may be applied.

Prosecutor: evaluation and possible preliminary investigation; respondent may file counter-affidavit; resolution determines whether to file case in court.

Police/NBI cyber: evidence intake, technical evaluation, possible tracing; often coordinates with prosecutor.

6) Choosing the right legal label (why it matters)

The same behavior can match different offenses or administrative violations. Choosing the right label affects:

Where to file
What must be proven
What penalties/remedies apply
How quickly relief can be obtained

Examples (illustrative)

A boss repeatedly sending sexual messages + threatening termination → sexual harassment + possibly coercion; administrative + criminal/civil options.
Catcalling and following a woman in a mall → gender-based public harassment; local enforcement + police report.
Repeated DMs from a stranger after clear refusal + creation of new accounts → online harassment; cyber complaint.
Ex-partner spamming threats and tracking movements → protective orders + criminal complaint depending on facts.

7) What typically wins or loses harassment cases (evidence-wise)

Strong case indicators

Multiple, consistent pieces of evidence (messages + witnesses + reports)
Prompt reporting (HR/school/police/prosecutor) consistent with narrative
Clear proof of identity (same number/account, admissions, linked details)
Documented pattern (timeline, repeated incidents)
Proof of impact (medical/psych records, work disruption, safety measures taken)

Weak case indicators (fixable with better documentation)

Only verbal allegations with no witnesses and no contemporaneous reports
Cropped screenshots without dates/account identifiers
Evidence that looks edited or lacks context
Long delay in reporting without explanation (not fatal, but often exploited by defense)
Inconsistent narration across statements

8) Special considerations for online harassment

A. Deleted content isn’t always gone

Even if posts/messages are deleted, you may still use:

Screenshots/screen recordings
Notifications emails
Witnesses who saw the content
Cached content (sometimes)
Platform records obtainable through lawful requests in investigations

B. Anonymous accounts

For serious cases, cybercrime units can attempt attribution using technical methods and lawful requests. Your role is to preserve:

Account handle and profile links
Message requests and timestamps
Any connected numbers/emails shown
Any recurring patterns or identifying statements

C. Do not retaliate or publish evidence publicly

Posting the harasser’s private information or “exposing” them online can backfire and create counter-claims. Keep disclosures limited to your counsel, investigators, and proper authorities.

9) Remedies you can ask for (beyond punishment)

Depending on the forum and case type, remedies can include:

Administrative (work/school)

No-contact orders (internal)
Transfer/reassignment
Schedule/class adjustments
Disciplinary sanctions (suspension, dismissal/expulsion)
Workplace accommodations

Criminal

Prosecution and penalties if probable cause and guilt are established
Court-issued orders depending on the case

Protective orders (intimate/VAWC context)

Orders restricting contact, proximity, harassment, threats
Removal from residence in some situations
Protection for children and household members

Civil

Damages (moral, exemplary, actual damages where proven)
Injunction-type relief in proper cases

10) Filing checklist: what to bring

Identity and basic details

Government ID
Addresses (yours and respondent’s if known)
Contact numbers, email, account handles

Evidence packet

Printed screenshots with captions (what it is, date, platform)
Digital copies (USB or phone folder)
Timeline/journal of incidents
Witness list with contact info
Medical/psych documents (if any)
Workplace/school documents (reports, memos, emails)

Draft complaint-affidavit

If not drafted, write a detailed narrative; many offices have templates but a prepared affidavit helps.

11) Common questions

“Do I have to start at the barangay?”

Not always. Some cases can proceed directly to police/prosecutor/court depending on the offense, urgency, or legal exceptions.

“Is a screenshot enough?”

Sometimes, but stronger cases include:

Context threads
Screen recordings
Metadata (timestamps, account identifiers)
Corroboration (witnesses, reports, logs)

“What if the harasser says the account isn’t theirs?”

Identity proof becomes central. Preserve all linking details and consider cybercrime assistance where appropriate.

“Can I file even if there was no physical contact?”

Yes. Many harassment offenses and violations involve speech, messages, threats, coercion, and hostile environment conduct.

12) Practical do’s and don’ts

Document early and consistently
Report through proper channels
Request immediate safety accommodations
Preserve originals and maintain backups
Keep communications factual and minimal

Don’t

Edit screenshots or fabricate “cleaner” versions
Publicly post the evidence and respondent’s personal data
Confront the harasser alone if there is threat risk
Assume platforms will preserve content indefinitely

13) Bottom line

In Philippine practice, harassment complaints succeed when the complainant:

Chooses the right forum(s) (work/school processes, law enforcement, prosecutor, protective orders, civil actions),
Preserves evidence in a complete and credible way, and
Shows pattern, identity, and impact with consistent documentation.

Harassment may be addressed administratively, criminally, civilly, or through protective remedies—often in combination—depending on the facts and the relationship between the parties.