By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
The Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight attendant who was called a “menopausal bitch†by Representative Eulogio Magsaysay of Alliance of Volunteer Educators party-list has filed a complaint before the ethics committee against the lawmaker on Monday.
Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo, who is also a member of the PAL Employees Association (Palea), was accompanied by members of the union to formally lodge the complaint in the House of Representatives.
At 10 a.m., Palea trooped to the Office of the Ombudsman to file a criminal complaint.
Magsaysay is accused of grave slander, serious misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a high ranking public official, and direct solicitation of personal favor or gain using his office, according to lawyer Bernadette Carrasco, counsel for Ocampo.
Asked for a reaction to the complaint, Magsaysay said in a text message, “That’s her right.â€
“We wish that Sarah’s fight for justice will blaze a trail in the struggle for workers’ dignity. Service workers in the airline industry and call centers among others suffer indignities in the workplace through no fault of their own but receive no protection from their employers or the government,†Ginalyn Licayan, head of the Palea women’s committee, said.
Licayan said there are many workers who need support and protection against “abusive officials and insensitive customers.â€
The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa expressed support for Ocampo.
“Sarah’s fight is the fight of all working women. We call on women workers and women advocates to stand up in support of Sarah against sexism and for dignity,†Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of the group, said.
Miranda also raised question against Magsaysay's qualification as a party-list representative.
“Magsaysay’s abusive behavior toward a woman employee exposes his pretensions as a representative of the marginalized. 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 said.
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