House ethics panel urged: Hear Bertiz’s side

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives ethics committee should give ACTS-OFW party-list Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III his day in court, another party-list lawmaker said yesterday.

Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay addressed this appeal to the committee after the panel voted to sanction Bertiz for alleged misconduct in reportedly refusing to take off his shoes at the airport despite being asked to do so.

The two congressmen belong to the minority bloc. Atienza is a deputy minority leader, while Bertiz is an assistant minority leader and the lone representative of overseas Filipino workers.

“He has to face and accept punishment. Based on the video that we have seen, although there is no audio, he committed improper conduct,” Atienza said.

However, he said the ethics committee should not unilaterally decide on punishing Bertiz without hearing him.

“Due process dictates that the committee should give him the opportunity to explain himself. The committee should also seek the video with audio to ascertain what really happened and what precipitated it,” he said.

He added that the panel should likewise consider Bertiz’s apology and the fact that he volunteered to be investigated in deciding what penalty it would recommend.

Atienza pointed out that whatever penalty the committee on ethics would impose on his minority colleagues would have to be approved by the House in plenary session.

Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said his group “supports the initiative of our colleague to subject himself to an ethics investigation.”

“We are saddened by this unfortunate incident, but we support the move he has taken,” he said.

Suarez said Bertiz remains an assistant minority leader.

“There is no reason to strip him of his post,” he added.

Reacting to the reported ethics committee decision to sanction him, Bertiz said, “I am leaving my fate to God and to my colleagues and our leaders in the House. I have already apologized for what I did. There is absolutely no justification for the way I conducted myself. I sincerely apologize not only to the security assistant I confronted, but also to my colleagues and our leaders in the House, and to the public for my actions.”

He was reportedly hospitalized due to stress and hypertension caused by the incident.