REMEMBER THE PAL INCIDENT INVOLVING REP MAGSAYSAY? Here is a letter of his daughter

LETTER OF MS CATHERINE MAGSAYSAY TO DUCKY PAREDES OF MALAYA IN RESPONSE TO THIS ARTICLE

“This Catherine Anne D. Magsaysay. I am the eldest and only daughter of Rep. Eulogio R. Magsaysay. I was able to read your article online (http://www.malaya.com.ph/jan14/edducky.html) about my dad. Sir, I do think, I have to straighten some facts.

“Please allow me to narrate what truly happened, I am not doing this to protect my dad. After all, he already admitted his faults and apologized for his remarks.

“Last December 17, 2010 we all left the house at 5:30pm and arrived at the airport at about 6:30pm. Our departure was scheduled at 9:30pm. We checked in shortly after we arrived at NAIA. My dad and my lola with my two younger brothers, age eleven and thirteen were booked in Business Class. While, my mom, our youngest and I were booked in the Economy class since the youngest and I have already experienced flying in Business Class before, so our parents thought it would be nice for our other two siblings who were travelling for the first time to the United States to experience good seats.

“Upon checking in, we were told that those in Business Class would not be given, at that time, seat numbers because they were overbooked by seven passengers. Come to think of it Sir, we have planned this vacation at least 6 months ago since daddy wanted bonding after the elections. My dad, my lola and my two younger brothers were then asked to go to the Mabuhay Lounge to wait for the seat numbers. From the beginning, my dad had already requested that he be seated beside my two siblings particularly Alex who is just eleven years old and at that time having constant gas pains (or as we thought so since he got operated in the States for acute appendicitis).

“In the Mabuhay Lounge, daddy later got the seat numbers and found out that my brothers and him were assigned with seats far apart. After finding that out he requested again if they can arrange to switch seats with other passengers since he was worried about Alex.

“The customer service agent (CSA) in the lounge told daddy to request the CSA in the boarding area to assist him with his concern. When they came out from the lounge, it was almost boarding time so we already lined up altogether although daddy and my two brothers were lined up in the Business Class section where Ms. Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo was assigned.

“When it was their turn to board, daddy asked Ms. Ocampo ‘We were told in Mabuhay Lounge that you can arrange that we be seated together ng mga anak ko?’ Then Ms. Ocampo replied ‘I’m sorry! It’s not within my power to do anything!’ Sir, I was there. I was so surprised with how she reacted. At this young age, I do believe that employees should offer good service with good approach. They are trained, right? She could have said those words to my dad kindly and in a different manner.

“My dad then said ‘Easy ka lang! Easy ka lang! Take it easy.’ Sir, iba kasi ang dating ng mga sinabi niya sa dad ko. She sounded like she was mad at the customer she was talking to. She moved across the counter and my dad was just looking and staring at her awaiting for a response to my dad’s request. At that time my dad was still in shocked why Ms. Ocampo shouted at him.

“Shortly, Ms. Ocampo came back in front of my dad almost face to face and asked ‘Sir do you have a problem with me?!’ My dad was so disgusted that he said ‘Why are you so cranky? Menopausal bitch.’

“Ms. Ocampo went hysterical and started shouting ‘I will call the security!’ My dad said ‘Okay, go ahead.’

“My dad went away towards the tube going to the plane while Ms. Ocampo followed him shouting ‘Call me more names, call me more names!’ My dad did not even dare to look back nor respond. When it was already our turn to board, my mom informed Ms. Ocampo’s coworkers saying ‘You should have given him more respect. He’s a congressman.’ After my mom revealed this, the supervisor of Ms. Ocampo immediately went inside the plane to help out my dad and arrange the switching of seats. Also, the supervisor told my dad ‘Sir pasensya na ho kayo. She had a bad day.’ (This part on the supervisor, I did not witness, my dad just told me about it.)

“Sir, as a 15 year old growing young lady, I myself would not accept any remarks like what my dad unfortunately said. Again, I am not protecting him. I know what he did was wrong. He had apologized, and I think that’s the most he could do. Hindi lang naman po si Ms. Ocampo ang apektado sa nangyayare ngayon. Even us, his kids, are all stressed out with all the media bashing when they don’t even know the real story. No one’s perfect. Hindi porke congressman ang dad ko ay di na siya pwedeng mag kamali.

“Sir, if God can forgive why can’t Ms. Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo forgive my dad?