The Manila International Airport Authority noted with pleasure the safe passage of former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and commended all concerned airport employees and officers of NAIA agencies that helped conduct the professional, objective and orderly manner that Bolante was accorded and processed as a passenger, albeit, as a deportee from the United States.
Most notably, MIAA officials also proudly declared that the NAIA as a whole, took into consideration the general objective of promoting transparency, particularly by accommodating as many media outfits inside the terminal premises. “However, we wish to express our great displeasure over the turnout of the media coverage of the arrival of Mr. Bolante yesterday via Northwest Airlines flight NW 71, specifically at the final stretch of the passenger arrival process or at the arrival lobby,” said MIAA and NAIA General Manager Alfonso Cusi.
“I personally witnessed how the radio and TV teams misbehaved during his arrival, especially as Mr. Bolante was emerging from the Customs area en-route to the arrival lobby where they were pre-positioned,” said Cusi.
Despite pre-arrival briefings with various media groups conducted by Assistant General Manager for Airport Development and Corporate Affairs, Tirso Serrano, where coverage guidelines were expressly made clear, Cusi said what transpired at the arrival area was an utter disregard for such guidelines laid down by the NAIA management to achieve an orderly, fair and transparent coverage of Bolante’s arrival.
“To say that the scene at the arrival lobby was chaotic is an understatement. The sight of cameramen and reporters engaging in physical contacts with our designated crowd control team, shoving fellow newsmen and airport authorities to get past the cordoned area for a better vantage point, were unbecoming of professional and responsible media practitioners,” Cusi emphatically said.