Bea Alonzo’s camp decries ‘harassment’ in labor case filed by former driver

Bea Alonzo. Image: Instagram/@beaalonzo

The camp of Bea Alonzo hit back at the labor case filed by her former driver, Efren Torres Delos Reyes Jr., who was seeking back payment of his salary and alleging maltreatment and illegal dismissal against the actress.

Delos Reyes filed a complaint before the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), citing alleged lapses on his 13th-month pay, overtime pay, holiday pay, maltreatment, illegal dismissal, and lack of separation pay on Thursday, June 27, according to a report by Cristy Fermin on her program Cristy Ferminute.

“Lehitimong balita po ito dahil ang dati pong driver ni Bea Alonzo… naghain na po ng kaso si Efren Torres Delos Reyes, Jr. sa NLRC Department of Labor and Employment,” Fermin said. “Bibigyan po sila ng pagkakataong magkausap at magkita sa gitna dahil napakarami po ng reklamong isinumite nitong si Efren Torres.”

(This news is legit. Bea Alonzo’s former driver, Efren Torres Delos Reyes, Jr., complained to the Department of Labor and Employment’s NLRC. They will be given a chance to talk things through and meet halfway because Efren Torres has a lot of complaints.)

Reacting to the complaint, Alonzo’s lawyer Joey Garcia pointed out that Delos Reyes had previously admitted to being a “lover” of one of the respondents in the criminal cases that she filed, though the statement did not provide information as to who his lover was.

“Since he (Delos Reyes) was made a witness to one of the respondents among the criminal cases we filed, not to mention him being a lover as admitted, then the intent behind said filing and the timeliness of such filing are too obvious not to be noticed,” the statement of Alonzo’s counsel read.

“His acknowledgment of being involved as a lover clearly magnifies his bias and undermines his credibility which yet again puts into question or doubt the true intent behind his & her lover-respondent’s legal maneuvers.”

Garcia further said Delos Reyes only served as the “service driver” of Alonzo’s family for three months. He added that he was neither the actress’ personal driver nor he assisted her in her “professional engagements.”

He also found the timing of Delos Reyes’ complaint and Fermin’s report to be “highly suspect,” and appeared to be geared towards harassing Alonzo.

“For the record, Mr. Delos Reyes only served as service driver of the family and only for a short period of three months. He was not even assigned as Bea’s personal driver, for her professional engagements. Thus, his claims seem farfetched, unreasonable, if not unrealistic. It’s nothing but a pure harassment case, a desperate attempt to sponge off, an obvious act capitalizing on the criminal case,” said Garcia.

Delos Reyes’ camp has yet to make a public statement addressing the formal complaint, as of press time.

Back in May, Alonzo filed three separate cyberlibel complaints against Fermin, entertainment insider Ogie Diaz, and their respective co-hosts in their show biz programs.

Diaz filed a counter-affidavit and a complaint for perjury and damages against Alonzo last June 18.