THE House minority group is eyeing to file an ethics complaint against ACTS OFW Rep. Aniceto “John” Bertiz III after the latter refused to obey security protocols and confronted a security personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
House minority leader Danilo Suarez said they will file a complaint if no outside party will.
“There may be a possibility that we will take this up to the ethics committee,” Suarez said in an interview at the House of Representatives on Monday, October 1.
Malacañang on Monday reminded public officials to follow security procedures in public places and emulate President Rodrigo Duterte who never seeks any "special treatment."
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the President complies with the security checks of the airport, goes through the X-ray machine, and does not ask for any special treatment.
"Let's learn by way of example from what the President is doing," the Palace official said in a press briefing with Palace reporters.
"The President really insists, even if he is (in) a convoy, even to follow traffic rules and traffic lights. So kung ganito po ang Presidente, sana lahat po ng opisyales ng bayan ay sumunod na rin po sa ganitong ehemplo (So if the President does this, all public officials should also follow such an example)," he added.
A video surveillance footage uploaded on Facebook shows Bertiz passing through a metal detector at the NAIA Terminal 2.
He refused to remove his shoes as part of the measures implemented under the national airport's "Security Condition Level 2."
The incident reportedly happened on Saturday, September 29, at the NAIA Terminal 2 domestic departure area.
The viral video also showed Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda Josefa "Imee" Marcos following the security check and removing her shoes.
After an apparent confrontation with a security personnel for failing to remove his shoes, Bertiz snatched the latter's ID. The security personnel was identified as Hamilton Abdul.
Airport authorities are now investigating the incident.
Bertiz is a deputy minority leader of the House of Representatives.
According to Suarez, the leaders of the minority group are now gathering all narratives on the incident in the NAIA. He said they will also ask NAIA for a copy of the CCTV (closed-circuit television) footage.
Aside from the NAIA incident, there have been other concerns raised against Bertiz, Suarez bared.
“Marami na nga yung... lumalabas na issue that’s precisely the reason why we have to call for a deeper investigation on this issue. It’s not just the incident at the airport but meron pa ding mga OFW,” he said.
Bertiz, in response said he welcomes the forthcoming ethics probe.
“Most welcome naman po. Hindi naman po natin maawat. Ganyan po talaga ang aming liderato, wala po tayong kinikilingan at wala po tayong kinakampihan pagdating po sa mga investigation,” Bertiz said in a press conference.
“I really respect my boss and leader, minority leader Danilo Suarez, if he will initiate an ethics complaint against me dahil sa inasal ko sa airport,” he said.
The Department of Transportation earlier vowed to investigate the NAIA incident.
Apology
Bertiz apologized for his conduct.
“I would just like to express my sincerest and deepest apology to the public. Dun sa nakapanood po ng video im really sorry. It’s very uncalled for for a public official to act that way," he said.
Bertiz said he regretted what he did and said he should have just reported it directly to the supervisor and never reacted that way.
Bertiz, who said he travels once or twice a week, explained that he thought that he did not have to remove his shoes.
“I just thought na okay na kasi nga usually 'pag ka tumunog then you have to go back and remove whatever metal you have. Nung pinabalik niya ako napasunod lang ako sa tao na nasa unahan ko pareho po kaming naka slip on na rubber shoes na di rin tumunog so I thought... Also there was no prior announcement na 'remove your shoes, remove your shoes’...," he said.
Bertiz said he has been receiving death threats since the incident.
“I’m receiving po death threats,” he said, asked what kinds of threat, he said: There are people telling him “you don’t have the right to live, you don’t represent us, go to hell, ‘pag nakita kita papatayin kita, bubugbugin kita.”
Bertiz said he does not know whether these comments came from trolls. Nevertheless, he said he respects the comments of the public.
Bertiz also apologized to his wife and children, whom he said are also being bashed because of his conduct. He said the members of his family took down their social media accounts since his video went viral.
Fake documents
According to Bertiz, the documents circulating in social media which supposedly seek his removal from Congress is fake.
Bertiz said the document, signed by a certain Feliciano Adorna Jr., did not reach the House of Representatives.
He also clarified that Adorna, along with his supposed cohorts, was already expelled from the ACTS OFW because of unscrupulous activities.
“We filed a case against him because of large scale estafa, usurpation of authority and misrepresentation,” he said.
The document dated March 23 seeks the termination of Bertiz as vice president for Jobs Generation and Membership of ACTS-OFW Party-list and his removal from the Congress.
It also seeks to declare him persona non grata.
Bertiz clarified that he is still the representative of the ACTS-OFW Party-list. (SunStar Philippines)