Ang Probinsyano party-list Representative Alfred de los Santos has confirmed that it is him in the viral video attempting to punch restaurant employee Christian Kent Alejo in Legazpi City, Albay. He said that he failed to control his temper and has apologized to Alejo in an interview with radio station DZMM last night.
The congressman said that he only did it because he allegedly heard the waiter mutter something under his breath when he told him to put placemats properly on their table.
“[But] whatever happened, I know what I did was wrong and I lost my temper, so I admit that I was wrong and I’m asking for forgiveness,” he told DZMM in Filipino.
“I just want to apologize, especially to you (Alejo) and your family for what I did. To the Filipino people, sorry that I failed as a public servant. I have no excuse, only regret.”
De los Santos has met with Alejo to personally apologize. However, the waiter denies the congressman’s claim that he muttered words when he served the latter’s group in Biggs Diner in Legazpi City’s Old Albay district.
“Tell the truth,” Alejo told DZMM this morning.
“It’s obvious in the camera [footage] … I was about to leave, then he called me. He told me, ‘Why are you giving such a dirty look?'” Alejo recalled. He said that he replied to this with, “I’m not, sir.”
The assault went viral on social media earlier this week after it was caught by the restaurant’s CCTV. In it, de los Santos can be seen standing up from a booth he shared with three other people and attempting to hit Alejo.
The waiter managed to avoid the punch but still filed a blotter at the police station.
Following reports of the incident, de los Santos’ party-list Ang Probinsyano said that they would probe the incident.
“Definitely we will not tolerate any kind of abuse in our party. We will not hesitate to suspend or even remove Congressman de los Santos if we establish that this was an unprovoked attack,” the group’s spokesman Joco Sabio said in a statement.
He was also quick to say that de los Santos’ attitude should not be attributed to everyone in Ang Probinsyano.
“He is not the entire representation of the Ang Probinsyano party-list. His actions and his decisions are his own and should not reflect on Ang Probinsyano as a party and as an organization,” Sabio said.
Ang Probinsyano placed fifth during May’s mid-term elections which landed it two seats in the House of Representatives. Named after a popular television show, it promises to improve the lives of those living and working in the provinces.
In a statement released yesterday, de los Santos said that he will accept whatever decision his party-list will make regarding his status in the group.
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