NAIA receives report of extortion

MANILA, Philippines - The Airport Operations Division (AOD) of the Bureau of Immigration at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport recently received a report from dzMM radio station for alleged extortion activity involving an immigration officer.

The said media report stemmed from a caller in Vienna, Austria yesterday who allegedly identified the person to be an immigration officer who asked for money from a departing passenger who is now in Vienna.

AOD chief Ferdinand Sampol immediately acted and verified the media report and found out that the person who is involved in the extortion activity was not an immigration officer nor employee but a security official from the Philippine Aviation Security Services Corp. (Passcor) assigned at the NAIA terminals.

 “This is why the Bureau of Immigration decided to change the color of our uniform from blue and white to all black, in order to distinguish immigration personnel especially the immigration officers who are the frontliners from other airport employees,” Sampol said.

Sampol also said that Immigration commissioner Marcelino Libanan ordered the investigation relative to the matter and to discuss how to deal with the problem brought about by the issue concerning airport operations.

 “The AOD is steadfast in its campaign against illegal facilitation and is very much open to all constructive proposals to effectively address similar problems within the airport terminals, more so that Commissioner Libanan is bent on the prosecution of persons involved in illegal activities,” Sampol said.

Meanwhile the AOD is in coordination with Passcor management in the investigation and disciplinary action to take against the erring Passcor official.   – Rudy Santos