AOC to lose millions due to ASG's attempt to hold cargo

MANILA, Philippines - Some members of the Airline Operators Council (AOC) said yesterday that they are facing a scenario of losing millions of pesos in revenues after an official of the Aviation Security Group (ASG) allegedly attempted to hold hundreds of tons of cargo that must undergo x-ray procedure.

After negotiations, the AOC was able to convince Senior Superintendent Napoleon Cuaton, head of the Police Center for Aviation Security, to issue a status quo ante, thus preventing mountains of unloaded cargo from accumulating at the Philippine Skylander, Inc., bonded warehouse.

Cuaton issued a memorandum, addressed to the head of the Manila Integrated Airports Services Corp., a bonded warehouse operator, informing him that his office would conduct x-ray examination of the airlines that they handle to look for weapons and other prohibited items.

AOC chairman Ma. Lourdes Reyes said the affected airlines include Philippine Airlines and other international carriers that it handles, KLM, Korean Airlines and Qatar Airlines. To date, all other air carriers subject their cargo to x-ray examinations administered by ground handlers, who had earlier been audited by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Cuaton based his directives on an ICAO document dealing with cargo, courier materials, express parcel and mail security.

The ICAO stipulates that the “State shall ensure that security controls are applied to cargo and mail prior to their loading into an aircraft engaged in passenger commercial air transport operations.” However, the AOC said that this particular document is already being administered by the Manila International Airport Authority that had already waived their rights to exercise these ICAO directives for lack of x-ray equipment at the bonded warehouses.

The MIAA has allowed the processing of cargo to be conducted by ground handlers and other ICAO-affiliate companies. Reyes said that if the ASG had to subject the cargoes to x-ray procedure, it should have been its head, Chief Superintendent Edwin Corvera who should make the proper representation. She said ICAO had issued a directive saying that: “Assigned Aviation Security Group cargo security personnel shall not interfere nor intrude in the warehouse or facility cargo operational activities, unless called upon by each operator for assistance on detected improvised explosive devices (IEDS), explosive materials or components, ammunitions, firearms and other related matters.”         – Rudy Santos