MANILA, Philippines—Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Wednesday asked Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to issue a “lookout bulletin order” (LBO) against two top foreign officials of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.
In a two-page letter, Macalintal informed De Lima that he has a pending criminal complaint against Adam Laker and Mattheiu Chapuis, General Manager and Assistant Manager, respectively, of Sofitel for alleged violation of his rights as a senior citizen.
The case is now with the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office and raffled to Assistant City Prosecutor Susan Garcia who conducted a preliminary investigation on June 16 where Laker and Chapuis personally appeared and submitted their joint counter-affidavit.
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
During the preliminary investigation, Macalintal asked the two about their period of employment or assignment in the Philippines but the two refused to respond saying the matter was irrelevant.
“Hence, I made of record in the Prosecutor’s Office that I will seek appropriate remedy on this matter before the DOJ or Bureau of Immigration since I believe that the information is very material and relevant to insure that Laker and Chapuis will not leave the Philippines without notice to proper authorities to prevent a mockery of our judicial system,” Macalintal said.
He explained that the LBO is necessary “to insure that they (Laker and Chapuis) do not leave or flee Philippine jurisdiction while my criminal complaint against them is pending resolution by the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay City.”
The complaint stemmed after the Sofitel management refused to grant him the 20 percent senior citizens discount on February 8, 2014, while he was dining with a friend at the Sofitel Le Bar Restaurant.
He is supposed to be entitled a 50-percent discount on the cost of food and drinks at the Sofitel for being a member of the Sofitel Accor Advantage (Accor) in which he yearly pays P8,800 for his membership.
Macalintal said the Sofitel gave him a 50% discount under his Accor membership, but it refused to apply his 20-percent senior citizens discount.
The poll lawyer who had worked for several politicians demanded for his 20-percent discount as a senior citizen as provided under Section 4 of RA 9994 but Sofitel management arbitrarily denied him of this discount on the ground that it was already “included” in the 50% discount under the Accor program.
Macalintal noted that if his 20-percent senior discount was already considered in the 50-percent Accor discount, then it was very clear that he was given only a 30-percent by Accor.
“Sofitel is the one enjoying my 20% discount as a senior citizen,” Macalintal said noting that it was clear that he was shortchanged.
Macalintal said that Adam and Chapuis have been charged in their capacities as officials of the Sofitel because under the Senior Citizens Law, if the offender was a corporation, the officials directly involved or in charge of management would be liable.
According to Macalintal, the law also imposes a penalty of two years to six years imprisonment and a fine of P50,000 to P100,000 on violators of the rights of a senior citizen.
In 2013, the lawyer also sued two restaurants in Pasay and Las Piñas for also denying him and his wife the senior citizens’ discount.
But Macalintal withdrew the case eventually after the owners of the two restaurants publicly apologized and promised him to donate the sum of money to charitable organizations serving the senior citizens.
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