4-month suspension for official tagged in 'sex-for-flight' scheme

MANILA, Philippines - Acting Labor Attache to Jordan Mario Antonio will be suspended for four months after being implicated in the sex-for-flight scheme victimizing migrant Filipino workers.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the suspension will take effect 15 days after Antonio receives a copy of the order, but its implementation may not take effect immediately once a motion for reconsideration is filed.

The order for Antonio's suspension comes after the Department of Labor and Employment's fact-finding team found out that he used vulgar language to a distressed overseas Filipino worker and was also caught using the laptop computer in his office for consuming pornography.

Baldoz earlier approved the fact-finding team's recommendation to file administrative charges against the following officials tagged in the scheme: Labor Attaché Adam Musa for gross negligence; (officer-in-charge) Labor Attaché Mario Antonio for grave misconduct; and Asst. Labor Attaché Antonio Villafuerte for simple negligence.

Last June 18, Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello, chair of the House committee on overseas workers affairs, tagged three government officials involved in the alleged scheme.