ACTS OFW party-list Representative John Bertiz III has apologized for the viral video of him seemingly refusing to follow airport protocols at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and disrespecting one of the screening personnel.
In an interview with Unang Balita, Bertiz apologized to the public for the viral video but explained that there are two sides to every story.
“Unang-una humihingi po ako ng paumanhin sa publiko lalung-lalo na sa netizens, yung pagkaka-post ng video at pagkakalagay ng caption. Ganun pa man, merong other side of the story,” Bertiz said.
“Sana, kung patatanggal mo sa akin yung sapatos, ‘dun pa lang [before x-ray], and then hindi mo hinayaan yung, I think it was two Koreans o Chinese nationals, who just passed na hindi rin tumunog na may rubber shoes,” he added.
Bertiz was referring to his earlier explanation that he was only calling out the staff for allowing several “Chinese looking” passengers to pass without undergoing security check and exposed that escort system is prevalent in the airport.
“Nakakapagtaka na pagkapalusot sa mga Tsino na may escort na NAIA staff eh pinigilan ako [ng security checker] kahit na pinakita ko sa kanya ang NAIA security ID ko at kahit na na-clear na ako sa metal detector at xray machine,” Bertiz said in an earlier text message to GMA News.
“Hinihinala ko na ginawa ito [ng security checker] para hindi ko masita ang NAIA staff na pinalusot ang mga Tsino ng walang security check,” he added.
On Sunday, September 30, a Facebook page posted the CCTV video of the incident and accused Bertiz of skipping security measures at the airport by refusing to remove his shoes and harassing an airport staff by shoving his ID to the screening officer’s face.
The incident allegedly happened at NAIA Terminal 2 on Saturday, September 29, where “security condition level 2” was imposed requiring all employees and passengers to remove their shoes for checking as a security measure.
After supposedly refusing to remove his shoes, the video shows Bertiz shoving his ID to the airport staff’s face and forcibly taking the ID of the latter.
Regarding the encounter with the staff, Bertiz said that it was the personnel who was rude towards him.
“It so happens na, by the way, I have also access pass. Since wala naman pong tumunog, I thought he’s going to let me go,” Bertiz said.
“I have to report this, sabi ko sa kanya, ayaw niyang ibigay pangalan niya, tinatakpan niya sa loob ng jacket niya. Tapos bigla sinabi niya sa ‘kin, sino ka ba? Ginanon niya ako. Na-shock ako, kukunin ko lang ID mo,” he added.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) is already looking into the incident.
