Palau president stranded in RP

MANILA, Philippines – The president of Palau was briefly stranded last Wednesday night in Manila when a US airline refused to allow him to board a flight without being frisked at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), officials said yesterday.

The same Continental Airlines flight that Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. would have boarded was also targeted by a bomb threat called in to police and the aircraft was forced to turn back.

No bomb was found. Police would not say whether the two incidents might be linked.

Palau Ambassador Ramon Rechebei said the Philippines has apologized for Wednesday night’s incident and paid for a private aircraft to take Remengesau, his wife and ministers to Palau’s capital, Koror.

Remengesau’s group boarded an eight-seater executive Lear jet owned by San Miguel Corp. at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, which is adjacent to the NAIA.

The Palau president’s party was scheduled to leave Manila on Continental Airlines flight CO 892, but he refused to be frisked and returned to his hotel instead, Rechebei said.

Rechebei said it was embarrassing for the Palau leader to undergo inspection at the airport, where Philippine officials, led by Vice President Noli de Castro, were on hand to see him off.

De Castro and other Philippine diplomats tried to intervene and asked that Remengesau be exempted from the search in accordance with protocol for visiting heads of state, but the airline refused to budge, airport officials said.

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Pedrito Cadungog requested the airline’s security personnel to exempt Remengesau and his wife Debbie from body check as a gesture of courtesy for the visiting head of state.

Continental Airlines station manager Maxi Cabantug insisted that the Palau First Couple should undergo security check because only the US president and the president of the Philippines are exempted from security inspections, based on the Transportation Security Administration being implemented at the airport.

The commercial flight was scheduled to take off at 9:45 p.m. but left shortly after midnight without Remengasau’s group, who went back to their hotel.

At least three Palau ministers and the head of the country’s senate boarded the flight after being frisked, Rechebei said.

Remengesau expressed disappointment over the refusal of the officials of Continental airlines to resolve the issue.

“I would have expected that the airline would honor internationally-recognized protocol regarding heads of state as well as show some sensitivity to our Pacific culture,” he added.

He said that he is aware of the security concerns of airlines, but there must be room to exercise common sense and respect for the dignity of the highest level of government.

“I intend to bring this up with the regional airlines serving Palau as well as the US Transportation Security Administration so that we can ensure that respect and culture-appropriate treatment is accorded heads of state,” Remengesau said.

About an hour after take off, authorities received the bomb threat and the flight had to return to the airport, said Senior Superintendent Efren Labiang, director of Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group.

Inspection of the aircraft and passengers showed no bomb, he added.

The airport control tower said it received a call from the air force, saying it had an intelligence report that a bomb might be on board the plane.

The flight, with 129 passengers on board, finally left at 4:35 a.m. Thursday, Labiang said.

Rechebei said the Palau officials on board decided to stay behind when the plane returned to Manila and would take the private plane with Remengasau.

The Continental Airlines office in Guam said in a statement that the airline never makes compromises regarding their flights and the safety of their passengers and aircraft.

Earlier Wednesday, Remengasau and President Arroyo witnessed the signing of four agreements between their countries on air services, medical tourism, education and telecommunications.

The two leaders also sought each other’s cooperation on facing challenges like terrorism, climate change and rising oil and food prices.

Palau, an island chain of about 200 islands, only eight of which are permanently inhabited with 20,000 people, is about 1,287 kilometers southwest of Guam and 805 kilometers east of the Philippines. – Rudy Santos,  AP