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Labor officer in 'sex-for-fly' scandal submits to probe

Louis Bacani - The Philippine Star

June 20, 2013 | 11:54am

MANILA, Philippines - For the first time after he was accused of running a prostitution ring in Jordan, embattled labor officer Mario Antonio finally faced the public on Thursday and demanded due process and respect for his rights.

Antonio, assistant labor attachÃ© in Amman, Jordan again denied the accusations hurled against him, saying these have affected his reputation and his family.

Claiming that he has a clean track record, Antonio said he is willing to submit himself into a full investigation on the controversy. He also urged the public to wait for the results of the probe and not pass judge on him.

"Ako ay nakahandang sagutin ang mga katanungan sa tamang venue at panahon upang lumabas ang katotohanan at mapatunayan ang aking kawalang-sala. I'm submitting myself to full investigation," Antonio said at a televised press briefing on Thursday.

"Bigyan naman po ako ng pagkakataong linisin ang aking pangalan. Hinihingi ko rin na huwag niyo akong agad husgahan," he added.

Antonio said the allegations against him may be a part of a smear campaign in relation to his work as a public servant.

"Dahil sa aking paninidigan na ipaglaban ang ating mga Pilipinong manggagawa sa ibayong dagat ay maaaring may hindi nasisiyahan sa aking ginagawa," said the officer, who returned to the country on June 12 not due to the controversy but because his "tour of duty" has ended.

Earlier this week, Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello accused Antonio and two other labor officials in the Middle East for allegedly being involved in sexual activities with distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in exchange of repatriation.

Bello accused Antonio of prostituting female OFWs who have problems with their work and employers.

He also claimed that a certain Kim from Damascus, Syria was allegedly involved with intimate relationships with at least four distressed OFWs.

The lawmaker also tagged a Blas Marquez from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Kuwait for being involved in a sex-for-hire business in the Filipino Workers' Resource Center in the country.

On Wednesday, Bello had a closed-door meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, who said he would oversee the investigation to ensure that it is â€œtransparent, comprehensive and undertaken as early and as expeditiously (as possible).â€

Del Rosario had announced that the Department of Foreign Affairs has ordered the other two accused officers to return home and face the investigation.

At the same press briefing on Thursday, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Carmelita Dimzon said they have still not received any formal complaint on alleged sexual activities involving labor officers.

In a radio interview on Thursday morning, a distressed OFW identified as "Michelle" said she received "indecent proposals" from her labor officers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in exchange of speedy process for her repatriation.

But she fears for backlash from labor officials if ever she files a formal complaint.

"Siguro po kailangan ko munang pag-isipan kasi po gusto ko pa pong bumalik, marami po akong obligasyon," the Filipina OFW said.