12-year-old boy slips past airport security

CEBU, Philippines - A 12-year-old boy was able to slip past security at the Mactan Cebu International Airport last February 2 and authorities are now plugging the holes that might have caused the breach.

The 12-year-old boy made it as far as boarding a plane even if he had no ticket or boarding pass. 

The boy, who was a stow-away from his hometown Samar, was caught when one passenger complained that his seat was taken. It was also the time that airline personnel observed the boy transferred from one seat to another twice.

The management of MCIAA admitted the lapses in the airport security and ensured that the incident is not something to worry about because security personnel always make sure that measures are taken to ensure that nobody unauthorized or perilous will be able to board the plane or get inside the secured premises of the airport.

The boy was reportedly not carrying any deadly material and had his belongings scanned.

“As far as security, there was no problem. The boy put his bag in the X-ray and nothing came in that could probably threaten security.

“There were no deadly objects or contraband. The boy was of course a threat to the security, but we have determined what went wrong and from now on, we will consider all persons including children a threat to the security,” said MCIAA General Manager Danilo Augusto Francia.

He said that personnel were probably not focusing on their job or misguided, “But we are correcting that,” Francia said assuring that they are not neglecting their duty and obligation in looking after suspicious people.

Francia said that they already reprimanded personnel involved and got the commitment of all agencies operating at the airport to tighten the security to avoid the same incident.

“We will not suspend anyone because most of them are from different agencies not under our direct supervision but it is up to them if they will impose administrative actions,” Francia said.

The management of Philippine Airlines is now investigating agents involved and said that they might suspend those who will be found responsible for the lapses.

The 12-year-old boy now stays at the Parian Drop-In Center where he was staying since September last year prior to the incident.

Ruben dela Cruz from the Civil Security Unit and one of the care takers at the drop-in center said that the boy stowed away from Samar with his older brother and was rescued by the barangay tanods last September.

De la Cruz said that that the boy told them he wants to see his mother in Manila so he went to the airport last February 2 and tried to board Philippine Airlines Flight 848.

He also revealed that this is not the first time that the boy tried to travel because he was also caught by crews of a passenger vessel bound for Samar some time last year.

De la Cruz said that they do not really know where the boy wants to go because his father has tried claiming him from the center last year, but he refused to go home.

He said that the child left the center a day before he was caught at the airport. —Jessica Ann R. Pareja/NLQ    (FREEMAN NEWS)