NAIA 1 placed on full alert after bomb threat

MANILA, Philippines - The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 was placed on full alert yesterday following a bomb scare.

This came before Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev left the country, the last economic delegation that attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila.

Business establishments around the airports resumed operations while roads leading to NAIA were opened to the public yesterday.

However, security personnel at the NAIA-1 were deployed to scan the perimeter of the airport after receiving a call saying, “a bomb was planted at the airport.”

It turned out to be a hoax, airport officials later said.

The Airline Operators Council said most of the airlines operating at the airport resumed operations as their counters are now open to accept passengers for booking.

As of 1 p.m., an hour before the Russian delegation left, thousands trooped to the NAIA Terminal 1 departure area as they lined up at the counters while the rest waited for arrivals.

Most of the departing passengers who came to the airport were bound for the Middle East with connecting flights to Europe.