56-year-old OFW bent on clearing her name after ‘laglag bala’ episode

The overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was recently arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for allegedly carrying a bullet inside her hand-carry bag is banking on CCTV footage to clear her name.
In an interview on GMA News TV’s QRT on Monday, lawyer Spocky Farolan maintained that his client, Gloria Ortinez, 56, was innocent, and that they are in the process of determining who planted the bullet in her bag before she was supposed to leave for Hong Kong last October 25.
Farolan said they will formally ask the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) this week to show the footage of Ortinez's movements from the time she was at the Laoag airport to her arrival at the NAIA in a bid to clear her name.
“Ang sabi namin, klaro na hindi sa kanya ang bala na ‘yun. Klaro na ‘yun ay itinanim, klaro na may discrepancy. Kung sino ang may kasalanan niyan, kailangan pa namin ng ebidensya at kailangan naming alamin, kaya namin hinihingi since last week— siguro bukas pormal namin hihingin sa kinauukulan— na ibigay sa amin ang CCTV footage di lang dito [sa NAIA] kundi mula Laoag,” he said.
Farolan said airport authorities have yet to reach out to them about the possibility of showing the CCTV footage of Ortinez’s arrival at NAIA following the incident.
“Kung talagang may kusa at gustong malaman ang katotohanan, dapat tawagin lahat ng partido at sabihing, ‘Ito ang nangyari,’” he said.
Although the Pasay City Prosecutors Office has ordered Ortinez’s release due to the weak evidence against her, Farolan said she now faces the danger of losing her job in Hong Kong after the incident.
The lawyer said not only is Ortinez’s employer still undecided about her employment, she is also unsure whether or not she would be allowed back in Hong Kong because of her pending case in the Philippines.
“Dalawang levels yan eh, kung tatanggapin pa siya (Ortinez) ng employer niya, at kung tatanggapin pa siya ng Hong Kong. Ang issue na ito ay kumakalat na sa ibang bansa… at napapanood ito lalo na ng mga immigration officers. Alam nila na may kaso itong taong ito. Sinong makapagsasabi kung baka blacklisted na siya sa Hong Kong o yung working visa niya apektado na rin?” Farolan said.
In addition to uncertainty over keeping her job, Farolan said a clinical psychologist has found that Ortinez was “clearly traumatized” by the incident.
“Klaro na lumabas [sa check-up] na siya ay traumatized sa mga pangyayari,” he said. —Xianne Arcangel/KBK, GMA News

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