'Ay Marcos!'

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. was surprised that the name "Marcos" was mentioned by airport personnel who investigated the 56-year old overseas Filipino workers (OFW) victim of the alleged "tanim bala" extortion racket at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.

During the Senate inquiry into the bullet planting scam, Gloria Ortinez, narrated that when the investigators, whom he described as wearing polo barong, learned that she was from Ilocos Norte, the province of the Marcoses, one of them blurted, "Ay Marcos!," which made her more nervous.

"(Tinatanong nila ako) kung taga saan daw po ako sabi ko taga Paoay, Ilocos Norte po ako. 'Ay Marcos!,' sabi nila po. Ako po ay tumahimik," Ortinez said. When Marcos asked Ortinez if the NAIA personnel mentioned his name, Ortinez replied: "Opo sir, kaya nga natakot po ako sir."

The Hong Kong bound Ortinez was prevented from leaving the country last October 25 after staff from the Office of Transportation Security allegedly found a carbine bullet in her hand carry bag at the NAIA-2.

She vehemently denied the allegation saying she was fully aware that carrying such an item was strictly prohibited.

During the hearing conducted by the Committee on Public Service chaired by Sen. Sergio "Serge" R. Osmeña III, joint with the blue ribbon panel, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado admitted he had done nothing in the case of Ortinez.

When grilled by Marcos on whether he had taken any action or did he look into the case of Ortinez, Honrado said: "No, your honor I did not. I did not because I'm not in the loop on the filing of the case."

Honrado also admitted that he did not even speak to Ortinez after he learned of the case. He said while he could not remember when he learned about the case, he recalled that the police told him she underwent inquest proceeding.