Senatorial aspirant and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Monday expressed readiness to provide work to the overseas Filipino worker who lost her job in Hong Kong when she failed to return there as scheduled after being detained over the ‘tanim bala’ (planting-bullet) scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport .
Romualdez said his staff is now establishing contact with Gloria Ortinez for details of her case and to provide her suitable employment here at home. Leyte solon said that he was hopeful “Nanay Gloria”, with this simple act of malasakit (compassion) can find hope to move past this ordeal and still support her family without having to work abroad.
A lawyer , Romualdez emphasized he will also explore all possible options to provide legal assistance to Ortinez if she chooses to file charges against those responsible for her anguish and lost opportunities.
“The future of Nanay Gloria’s kids and dependents are now in limbo because of the deliberate criminal intent of those who inserted a bullet in her luggage.
“Crimes who victimize our OFWs and take advantage of the desperation of our hard-working citizens erodes our society and is further proof that “malasakit” is indeed lacking in our government,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez called on all tanim-bala victims to come out in the open and identify their tormentors. He said it will be the best and fastest way to stop the scam once and for all and send the extortionists to prison.
“If the accountable Naia and DoTC officials will insist they’re helpless in stopping the ‘tanim-bala scam,’ they should at least have the decency to resign to give way to competent ones.
“Incompetence has no place in public service. Public service requires public trust and it’s obvious the concerned officials have lost this trust and should be removed if they refuse to resign,” Romualdez said.