PAL employee files criminal, administrative cases vs congressman

(Updated 4:23 p.m.) Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo, a ground crew of Philippine Airlines, filed criminal and administrative complaints against a party-list representative before the Office of the Ombudsman and the House ethics committee, respectively, for having been “dishonored” in public and being called a “menopausal bitch.”

The complaints were filed a month after the incident happened at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Bonnin-Ocampo accused Volunteer Educators party-list Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay with serious misconduct, grave abuse of authority, and conduct unbecoming of a public official before the House ethics committee Monday afternoon.

With members of the PAL Employees Association, she also filed a criminal complaint against Magsaysay before the Ombudsman at 10 a.m. before proceeding to the House of Representatives at 1 p.m.

Magsaysay, for his part, said he is willing to make a personal apology for the incident.

“I would apologize to her personally if given the chance,” the congressman said in an interview by telephone with reporters, after the ethics complaint was filed.

“Just tell me where and when. I have apologized many times during interviews on radio and on print media,” he said.

Guilty of grave slander?

The PAL customer service agent in her complaints alleged that Magsaysay is guilty of grave slander, serious misconduct, conduct-unbecoming of a high- ranking public official, and direct solicitation of personal favor or gain using his office.

Lawyer Bernadette Carrasco, Bonnin-Ocampo’s counsel, said the case filed before the Ombudsman is a criminal complaint while the Ethics Committee case is an administrative in nature.

The issue is more than just an erring public official, according to PALEA and party-list Partido ng Manggagawa.

“We wish that Sarah’s fight for justice will blaze a trail in the struggle for workers’ dignity,” said Ginalyn Licayan, head of the PALEA Women’s Committee.

“Service workers and ordinary workers suffer indignities in the workplace from their employers or the government. There are many more Sarahs who need support and protection against abusive officials and insensitive customers,” Licayan said.

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) declared its support for Bonnin-Ocampo’s fight for justice, and a contingent from its ranks joined PALEA members at the House of Representatives.

“We call on women workers and women advocates to stand up in support of Sarah against sexism and for dignity,” said Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general.

The militant group questioned Magsaysay’s integrity as party-list representative. “Magsaysay’s abusive behavior towards a woman employee exposes his pretensions as a representative of the marginalized,” Miranda said.

“What underrepresented sector exactly does Magsaysay’s Alliance of Voluntary Educators speak for? It appears that Magsaysay as an advocate of the marginalized is as fictional as Mikey Arroyo being a representative of tricycle drivers,” she added.

Sexism and workers rights

After the complaint was lodged with the House ethics committee, Bonnin-Ocampo and her PAL colleagues dropped by the office of Bacoor Rep. Lanie Mercado. “It has become a women’s issue which is one of [Mercado’s] advocacies,” Gerry Rivera, PALEA president, told GMANews.TV over the phone.

“Even though she’s not a member of the ethics committee, Mercado promised that she would look into the matter, Rivera said.

PALEA also endorsed the administrative complaint before the committee. “It’s an issue surrounding sexism and workers’ rights,” the workers’ union president said.

PAL president Jaime Bautista declined to comment until an internal investigation is concluded. “I asked our Airport Services department, of which Ms. Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo is a part of, to conduct its own investigation into the incident,” he said in a separate interview with GMANews.TV.

“Once, our investigation is complete, then we will make a statement,” Bautista added. — VS/KBK, GMANews.TV