Duterte defends Cam after airport scene

Sandra Cam —Arnold Almacen

Sandra Cam might have come across as a nobody to an airport worker last month, but she’s now one of the most recognized and reviled personalities on social media, no thanks to the litany of curses rained on her by netizens appalled by her abusive conduct at the VIP lounge of  Ninoy Aquino International Airport  (Naia).

Labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) also urged the airport worker and her manager “to file the appropriate charges” against Cam who, before the airport incident, described herself as a jueteng (local numbers game) whistle-blower.

The labor group also said that Cam’s pending Cabinet appointment should be reconsidered.

But President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday confirmed that he was willing to offer Cam a government post in return for her help in his campaign and that he was leaving it to the people to judge her after the airport incident.

“She helped me during the last election. I’ll be frank. Her behavior? Let the public judge it. She helped me and I will help her. That’s a debt of gratitude,” Mr. Duterte told reporters in Baguio where he led the inauguration of the government channel PTV Cordillera hub.

“If she would ask for work, I’d give her work. It’s not because she was shouting there. That’s her business,” he added.

But Mr. Duterte said he did not know yet what position he could give Cam as there is currently no vacancy in the Cabinet.

“We’ll have to kill someone from the Cabinet [because] it’s already complete,” he said in jest.

‘Grand plan’

Reacting to the nasty posts about her, Cam said on the GMA News Twitter account:  “This is [a] grand plan by Liberal Party to destroy those close to the Duterte administration.”

On Feb. 16, the Masbate-bound Cam berated a Naia employee and her manager when she was not accorded the VIP treatment she had expected.

She also took offense when informed that use of the VIP lounge came  with a fee.

Cam gave the employee a tongue-lashing liberally laced with curses and dropped the name of Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, saying she was going to be appointed to a government post in three months’ time.

Said PM’s Secretary General Judy Ann Miranda:  “If accounts in news reports were true, then the injured parties, particularly the employee and the manager, should file appropriate charges.”

The group cited a similar case that had an airline ground staff filing slander charges against a party-list representative for calling her a “menopausal bitch.”

The congressman ended up apologizing to her.

Like other netizens, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat posted on Twitter:  “I hope she doesn’t get appointed. Or else, just like (Perfecto) Yasay, reject. Grabe, pati ako, never nagamit VIP lounge (I’ve never used the VIP lounge myself),” he twitted.

‘Self-entitled’

Other netizens called Cam “self-entitled” and “arrogant,” and advised her not to use the VIP lounge if she didn’t want to pay the P1,120 fee.

Said @PerciCen: “Baka dapat naka-sash & crown si Madam Sandra para makilala siya saan man siya pumunta (She should wear a sash and crown so she’d be recognized wherever she goes).

“Such uncouth behavior! Cam’s sense of entitlement is astronomical. Speaks volumes on most of D’s (hench)men.” posted @JazzyJean8

Noted @tweety27c: “Wala pang position ’yan, ha. Paano na ’pag natuloy na bigyan?  (And to think that she has yet to get the post and already, she’s acting that way). This should serve as fair warning to gov’t. (fingers x’d).”

Said @lyrerook: “I feel so sorry for the worker (who) was just doing her job. Customer service is the worst when you have self-entitled people like this.”

@bluaudio wrote: “Supertyphoon Sandra has just entered the PAR, packing center winds of 1,000 kph. It is expected to hit Davao City.”

Sneered @ArbetBernardo: Tumakbo sa nakaraang halalan tapos pambayad na Php1.2k wala??? (how could she have run in the elections when she couldn’t even pay the P1,120 fee?)

Agreed @missjover: Kung wala kang pambayad ’wag kang mag-VIP lounge. Buwiset.  (If you don’t have the money, don’t go to the VIP lounge.)

Arrogance

Said @1nutty_hazel: ANG KAPAL! (Shameless!) And she’s going to get a Cabinet position? My taxes will be paying this feelingera? Ang yabang!  (Such arrogance!)”

For those who doubt the story, @puretuts had this to say:  “Yes Sandra Cam who. E labas ang CCTV bec some doubt the story (Bring out the CCTV recording!)”

Said @primpaypon: “Even a government position can’t give you class. We can only wish that the CA (Commission on Appointments) also values social graces. Scam Cam.”

@marocharim looked back at the Duterte supporters’  Feb. 25 rally at the Rizal Park to make a point. “Your daily reminder that Pres. Advisor Sandra Cam spoke before a crowd on Friday to say “Masarap pumatay at mamatay para sa ating bayan  (It feels good to kill and be killed for the country).”

@nakngtweeting reminded netizens anew about her Rizal Park quote:  “Tsk! Such sense of entitlement. S’ya din yung “masarap pumatay” para sa bayan ’di ba?! Kaloka  (Wasn’t she the speaker who said it’s good to kill for the country?  Crazy)!

Swell-headed

@acbernales used hashtags to describe Cam: Her Majesty, Sandra Scam. #Bastos #FeelingVIP #LumakiAngUlo (Rude, swell-headed).

Said Miranda: “Workers are trained to abide with established protocols in the workplace. They were not hired to suffer indignity from powers-that-be or worse, from a VIP wannabe.”

Miranda cited the case of Philippine Airlines customer service agent Sarah Bonnin Ocampo, who won a favorable settlement in a slander and serious misconduct case she had filed against former Ave party-list Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay.

“In the case of Cam, it is the exploitation of nonexistent power against the lowly airport worker.  She can be more dangerous with an official ID from Malacañang,” the PM official  said.