Mactan Airport Security Upgrade: "Peeping Tom" scanners eyed

From bombs and bladed weapons to nipples to pubic hair, nothing will escape the new "Peeping Tom" scanners that the Mactan Cebu International Airport may install in the near future.

Mactan Cebu International Airport general manager Adelberto Yap told The Freeman last Friday that there are " serious plans " to deploy the virtual stripping machine but that only the prohibitive cost is holding the plans back.

" We may deploy Peeping Tom Scanners in the future at domestic and international operations. But at the moment, these are too expensive, " Yap said.

According to the airport manager, one Peeping Tom scanner currently costs $1.2 million.

Peeping Tom scanners can see beneath a person's clothing, giving airport screening personnel the ability to see bombs or bladed weapons that may be taped, tucked or strapped on a person's body without that person having to go through pat-downs.

Fortunately or unfortunately, however, the person being screened is also virtually stripped down, meaning the screening personnel will see his or her private parts.

Also called " electronic strip, " Peeping Tom scanners employ " backscatter imaging " where the technology of x-rays picks up and displays detailed body images, including breasts, nipples and clear outlines of genitals.

Privacy advocates who saw " backscatters " tested on some US airports have assailed the technology for its ability to erode privacy, calling it " invasive and offensive. "

But US transport security officials say the technology is effective and will ultimately have to be used globally in stepping up security. The tradeoff for the security, however, is that people will have to pay the price of losing their personal privacy.

The idea, however, bodes well with Yap, who is a stickler for safety and security.

This year alone, Yap has already deployed 18 regular scanners and has created Task Force Labrador for the new security measures.

The scanners he installed for domestic and international operations have the capability of detecting explosives, drugs, guns and metals that are viewed three-dimensionally.

As a security and safety watchdog, Task Force Labrador implements ground rules at the airside ramp while ensuring runways are free from foreign object damage.

" Foreign object damage is a critical thing, " Yap said. " Any object moving around the runway can cause a multi-million-peso disaster. A mere cup or can that gets sucked into the aircraft can destroy a $15-million engine. We have issued a directive penalizing ground personnel who scatter foreign objects on the ramp or leave ground equipment on the runway. "

Security does not spare anyone. Other than subjecting passengers to layers of checking, Yap stepped up requirements involving the profiling of individual maintenance personnel and everyone with direct access to an aircraft.

" We just have to watch them, " Yap said.