No more jackets, pockets for NAIA screeners

MANILA, Philippines — Security screening officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will soon no longer be allowed to wear uniforms or jackets that have pockets in them to prevent more incidents of theft at the NAIA, the country’s premier gateway.

Cesar Chiong, Manila International Airport Authority general manager, said the MIAA also prohibited the security screening personnel or SSO to interact directly with passengers or bring passenger bags into their areas of
 assignment.

These measures are among the MIAA service standard policies for employees of government and non-government agencies that Chiong ordered “to be implemented strictly” at the NAIA following reports that a Thai and a Chinese tourist were robbed of cash and watch, respectively.

Chiong stressed in a statement that incidents like these “negate all efforts of the MIAA to improve the image of NAIA.”

“We strongly condemn such unscrupulous, illicit and selfish acts. Theft violates the trust and integrity required of public servants, and has serious negative consequences for the airport, its stakeholders, and the country as a whole,” his statement read in part.

“We thank the Airport Police Department, Philippine National Police – Aviation Security Group and the management of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) for their quick response, which resulted in the arrest of the erring personnel,” it added.

Earlier in the week, an SSO was arrested after being caught taking a watch of a Chinese tourist at the NAIA Terminal 1. Several other SSOs were also caught on video last Feb. 22 pocketing money from a Thai tourist.

“Even though these people manning the screening areas are employees of the OTS and not of the MIAA, they still operate in NAIA which we administer. It happened under our roof, so it is critical that we resolve these issues so as not to cause alarm among passengers and affect their confidence to travel to the Philippines,” Chiong said.

The MIAA also ordered the installation of an additional camera on top of the screening machine at the transit area of Terminal 2 and the removal of the film or tints covering the glass panels, which obscure transparency, following the Feb. 22 incident.

“We are trying to remove all possible forms of obstruction. This is one of our major deterrents to illegal acts such as pilferage or theft. These facility changes will not be limited to Terminal 2,” Chiong said, as he revealed that they are also aiming to improve the vetting and background checks on OTS personnel.