Filipino mother plans to sue Cebu Pacific because they wouldn't allow her son with Down syndrome onboard

From GMA News in the Philippines:

A mother is set to press charges against airline firm Cebu Pacific for disallowing her child to board a Manila-bound flight form Hong Kong last December 23, a television report said Jan. 6.

A report on GMA News' "24 Oras" quoted Mylene Alcantara as saying that airline personnel asked them to disembark from the plane after learning that her son is a special child.

The Alcantara's legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, said Cebu Pacific had no basis in prodding the special child to leave. "Special children are not qualified as mentally-ill passengers, so we're filing civil and criminal suits," he said.

The kid was eventually allowed on the flight, but the incident caused a one-hour delay in the plane's departure.

The television report said airline personnel reportedly cited a company policy that disallows two special children to be on board the same flight.

Prior to Alcantara's son, a kid with Down Syndrome had already boarded the plane, the TV report said.

Alcantara cried foul over the treatment allegedly given to them, saying it humiliated them in front of other passengers.

"They did it in front of the passengers, without them knowing what's happening. Baka pwede nila isipin na (They might think) I committed a crime or whatever. It's very discriminating," Alcantara told GMA reporter Ivan Mayrina.

Cebu Pacific said it has already apologized to the Alcantara family for the incident and to the affected passengers.

"We deeply regret the incident and have already taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We had apologized to the affected passengers who nonetheless traveled to Manila on the same flight," the airline said in a statement sent via text message.