DAVAO CITY (October 10)-— The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to reprimand ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III for his controversial behavior at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
In asking the House to act on the issue involving Bertiz, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez moved, “I respectfully move that the penalty to be imposed on him (Bertiz), with regard to his offense, should be reprimand. As far as I know, this is his first offense. He already admitted to his mistake and has profusely apologized for his misconduct.”
With 159 affirmative votes, one negative vote and three abstentions, the Lower House approved the motion of Suarez to reprimand Bertiz for his airport misconduct.
The House rule stated that, it may censure or reprimand an erring member with the concurrence of the majority of all its members. Other forms of congressional discipline are suspension and expulsion.
Bertiz was caught on a CCTV security video on Sept. 29, allegedly refusing to remove his shoes as part of an airport security protocol and snatching off the ID of a NAIA security checker identified as Hamilton Abdul.
Reprimanding Bertiz, is the most appropriates form of punishment considering that it was the first offense that the party-list Congressman committed.
“The punishment must commensurate the act hence, any form of punishment greater than reprimand, such as a suspension, is severe and inappropriate,” he added.
Prior to the House verdict, Bertiz apologized anew for his behavior at NAIA, which he described as unbecoming of a public official.
In a privilege speech he delivered, Bertiz apologized “Patawad po dahil bilang isang lingkod-bayan, hindi ako naging ehemplo ng tuwid at magandang asal.”
He claimed he was ready to face punishment.
“Ako ay politiko, isang public figure at nagkamali ako. Obligasyon at karapatan po ninyo ang nais na parusa mula sa inyo, aking mga kasama sa 17th Congress, upang ituwid ang pagkakamaling iyon ay maluwag ko pong tatanggapin,” he said.
But he cried foul over the cyber bullying against his family, noting that his two daughters received sexually explicit messages as well as threats of sexual violence, while his son was called a drug addict.
“You cannot even imagine what I and my family had to go through. Do what you want to me but please spare my family,” Bertiz said.
“Hayaan po ninyo ako muli na humingi ng paumanhin kay Mr. Abdul, sa aking pamilya, sa publiko, sa inyo, mga kapwa ko mambabatas, at sa institusyong ito,: Bertiz said.-NewsLine with PNA report
