6 ground handlers at NAIA nabbed for baggage pilferage

Six airline ground handling employees tagged as members of a "Bukas Bagahe" gang operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were nabbed by Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) airport police for pilfering cellular phones from a passenger’s baggage last Wednesday.

Major Melchor de los Santos, officer-in-charge of the MIAA Airport Police Department’s Intelligence and Investigation Division, identified the suspects as Alfredo Saldivar Jr., Lloyd Roda, Rolly Calzo, Dave Romwel Velasco, Antonio Epres and Adonis Verdadero.

According to De los Santos, their office had been monitoring the suspects after they received reports that a group of station loaders are involved in a string of baggage pilferage wherein items of arriving passengers are being stolen while at the airport ramp.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Corporals Oswaldo Leal and Ronilo Ramilla, together with PO1 John Santos, took notice of a group of baggage loaders, who were assigned to work on an arriving Etihad Airlines flight.

Believing that the group would strike on the said flight, the three conducted physical searches on all baggage loaders assigned to the flight.

When baggage loader Alfredo Saldivar was searched, police authorities found four cellular phones tucked inside his waist. Saldivar was asked what he was doing with all the phones. When he was not able to answer, Saldivar was brought to the IDD for interrogation.

While Saldivar was being interrogated, an Etihad Airlines staffer arrived at the IID office together with Reinnosito Amores Jr., a passenger on the flight, to report that the cellular phones inside his checked-in bag had been stolen.

Amores was asked to identify the missing phones from those found on Saldivar.

During interrogation, Saldivar named four of his accomplices in his baggage pilferage activities.

Later, airport authorities nabbed Verdadero, a tow-tug driver, who they believe was also involved in the string of thefts.

According to the police, they arrested Verdadero after they found a Cathay Pacific pouch underneath the seat of Verdadero’s truck which contained a cell phone and cologne.

It could not be ascertained however, if the cell phone and cologne were his or if it were stolen.

Authorities have filed charges of qualified theft against the six suspects who were all brought to the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office for inquest.

Assistant City Prosecutor Nolasco Fernandez released five of the suspects, but recommended no bail for Saldivar.