ACTS-OFW party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III blames ‘period’ for outburst

House to probe lawmaker in NAIA video

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker yesterday attributed being seen in a viral video flouting security protocols at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on having a “monthly period.”

ACTS-OFW party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III is facing an investigation by the House of Representatives for his behavior.

Bertiz apologized anew yesterday, saying he is “willing to face any investigation.”

“I’m very sorry for my actions. It’s really uncalled for as a public official. My actions at the airport were totally uncalled for,” he said in yesterday’s press conference. 

Bertiz also said that “for the past three years that I’ve been a member of Congress, once a year nadapuan tayo ng monthly period.”

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said yesterday she has called the attention of House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez regarding the case of Bertiz, who represents the overseas Filipino workers’ sector.

Suarez assured the public that they are “initiating an investigation.” He said they are just gathering evidence and hinted that a complaint may be filed with the House ethics committee, especially if a complainant comes forward to press charges.

“We will be digging deeper into this issue,” Suarez told reporters in a chance interview. 

In the viral video, Bertiz was seen harassing an Office of Transportation Security (OTS) officer and refusing to take off his shoes at the airport’s final screening area prior to his departure at around 6:45 a.m. Saturday.

Bertiz was seen shoving his NAIA access card in the face of the officer, later identified as Hamilton Abdul, and snatching the officer’s ID card.

He also denied being expelled from the party-list group, saying his accuser, Feliciano Adorna, was the one expelled from ACTS-OFW. 

“We have filed estafa charges against him for misrepresenting himself as a member of Congress. In fact, he was already expelled due to his unscrupulous activities,” he said.

No exemptions

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque yesterday reminded all government personnel to comply with airport procedures, saying President Duterte complies with airport security checks, just like any passenger.

“Let’s learn by way of example from what the President is doing,” he said in a press briefing. “He goes through the X-ray machine, and he does not ask for special treatment.”

Roque said the administration is leaving it to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to look into the incident.

Untrue

Bertiz also said he saw “Chinese-looking” passengers who were not asked to remove their shoes – a claim belied by MIAA general manager Ed Monreal, who said they reviewed closed-circuit television footage taken on Saturday.

“We did not see any Chinese-looking passengers at that time. Bertiz followed (Ilocos Norte Gov.) Imee Marcos, who took off her shoes and put them in the X-ray machine,” Monreal said.

The OTS said Bertiz “definitely violated airport security protocols” with his actions.

OTS administrator Art Evangelista said he is waiting for the recommendation of the Department of Transportation and President Duterte before deciding on the issue.

“The security and safety of passengers are the primary concern of the OTS. It strongly denounces the lawmaker’s blatant disregard of security protocols that may compromise security,” he said.

Monreal said the airport is on Security Alert 2, which requires all passengers and employees to take off their shoes at the final security checkpoint.

Ouster calls

Migrant workers in Hong Kong yesterday sought the ouster of Bertiz for his “arrogant and disrespectful” behavior at the NAIA.

In a statement, United Filipinos in HK-Migrante HK chair Dolores Balladares-Pelaez said Bertiz is a “fake OFW representative and habitual abuser of authority.”

She said Bertiz is “not even an OFW. He is in fact an owner of one of the Philippines’ biggest recruitment agencies.”

In his Linkedin profile, Bertiz is the president and CEO of Global Asia Alliance Consultant Inc. and the spokesperson of the OFW Advocates Coalition.

No Go

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go said Bertiz may be his friend but must be responsible for his own actions.

“I do not control his words and actions. Let him explain what really happened in the viral video,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He also stressed that airport security checks do not excuse or exempt anyone, not even congressmen like Bertiz.

The congressman also came under fire after he joked during the mass oath-taking of agricultural and biosystems engineers on Sept. 25 that unless they knew Go, they would not get their Professional Regulation Commission license. He apologized for his gaffe. – With Alexis Romero, Sheila Crisostomo, Edith Regalado