Go to public officials: Learn from Bertiz incident

MANILA, Philippines — Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go yesterday stressed that public servants must lead by example and that there is no room for special treatment among public employees under the Duterte administration.

“As government officials, we were never exempted from adhering to such. In fact the President himself will not ask us to be spared from yielding to authority and respecting the law. This means there are no exemptions, we all have to follow the law,” he said.

The stern reminder came after a video of a confrontation between ACTS-OFW party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III and a Ninoy Aquino International Airport security officer became viral on Sunday. Bertiz refused to remove his shoes at the airport’s final security checkpoint.

“I am reminding all government officials and employees to set a good example for the public. We are in the government to provide public service, not to be served or be granted special treatment,” Go said.

Go said he related the incident to President Duterte himself.

He also said although Bertiz is a friend, he and the President do not condone acts unbecoming of public servants.