Ethics complaint filed vs. Bertiz

An ethics complaint was filed on Thursday against embattled ACTS OFW party-list Representative John Bertiz III for supposedly abandoning his promises to Filipino migrant workers who sought his help.

The complaint was filed amid the backlash that Bertiz has been receiving after the video of an incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) he was involved in went viral.

Migrante International and members of the progressive Makabayan bloc accompanied Shiela Mabunga, an OFW from Oriental Mindoro and one of the petitioners, and his father in filing the ethics complaint against Bertiz.

LOOK: Migrante International files ethics complaint vs. ACTS OFW party-list Rep. John Bertiz III. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/aV5q0TVkYu

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) October 4, 2018

"Sa aming pagtingin ay hindi niya [Bertiz] nirerepresent ang values ng OFWs," said Arman Hernando, spokesperson for Migrante International.

Mabunga is also part of Migrante, but Hernando said she filed the complaint in her personal capacity.

At a press conference, Mabunga recounted how Global Asia Alliance Consultants Inc. (GAACI) violated the provisions in her employment contract. Migrante said Bertiz is president and CEO of GAACI.

Arman Hernando, spox for Migrante International: Sa aming paningin ay hindi nirerepresenta [ni Bertiz] ang values ng mga OFWs. pic.twitter.com/ur9XwbJq69

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) October 4, 2018

She said applied as a cook for Dubai, but when she arrived there in 2014, she was picked up by a different employer who abused her and forced her to work as a household service worker.

Mabunga's father filed for a repatriation at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration in February 2015 when half of her body became paralyzed, but she claimed GAACI did not offer any help to her family.

She then met with Bertiz four months later to ask him to take her back to the Philippines, but she said he did not heed her plea. Instead, Mabunga said the lawmaker asked her to return to her employer.

According to Mabunga, Bertiz even promised to assist her in her college education if she would not file a case against GAACI and her employer.

In August 2015, Mabunga was repatriated to the Philippines through the help of a non-government organization but none of Bertiz's commitments were granted.

It was then that she decided to file a case against Bertiz and his recruitment agency at the POEA and the National Labor Relations Commission.

"Paanong natatanggap ng sikmura mo na 10 milyong OFW ang nirerepresent mo kung ako na nag-iisa ay hindi mo matulungan?" Mabunga told Bertiz.

"Wala kang word of honor, hindi ka dapat tinatawag na honorable. Huwad ka!" she added.

Because of this incident, the petitioners believe that Bertiz has no right to continue serving as representative of the OFW sector in the House of Representatives.

"Walang moral na awtoridad si Rep. Aniceto 'John' D. Bertiz III na maging kinatawan namin sa Kongreso. Wala na ring dahilan para siya ay manatili pa sa kanyang katungkulan sa Kongreso," the petition said.

GMA News Online has reached out to Bertiz and GAACI for their comments but has not received a reply as of posting time.

Aside from this complaint, Bertiz is also facing investigation before the Committee on Ethics and Privileges after he himself filed a resolution seeking inquiry into the viral NAIA incident, where he berated an airport personnel when he supposedly refused to take off his shoes for inspection.

Bertiz has already apologized for his behavior in the incident. — RSJ, GMA News