4 NAIA workers suspended for extortion racket

MANILA, Philippines - Four bag inspectors and x-ray screeners at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have been suspended following complaints that they extorted money from passengers by allegedly putting bullets in their luggage.

The four personnel, who work under the NAIA’s Office of Transportation Security (OTS), were suspended starting Monday while they are under investigation.

The OTS, which is under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), is the single authority responsible for the security of the transportation systems of the country, including civil aviation.

Screening inspectors at NAIA are directly accountable to the OTS rather than the Manila International Airport Authority.

In a Facebook post, passenger Rhed Austria de Guzman alleged that she was one of the victims of the extortion scheme when she was at the NAIA Terminal 2 to catch a flight to California.

She said a porter who was pushing her wheelchair whispered that a bullet was found in her luggage, but she could pay P500 to be cleared for travel.

Closed-circuit television footage from Sept. 18 showed the screeners in a huddle, deep in discussion, according to a report on GMA News.

OTS director Miguel Oraa said the screeners – whom he did not identify – did not file a report on bullets found in De Guzman’s luggage.

Another case involves American missionary Lane Michael White, who alleged that screeners at NAIA Terminal 4 (NAIA-4) planted a .22 caliber bullet in his luggage when it went through the x-ray machine on Sept. 17. He was bound for Palawan.

White said an OTS officer asked him to pay P30,000. When he refused, he was detained for six days at the aviation police office at NAIA Terminal 1.

He identified the OTS personnel who allegedly victimized him as baggage inspectors Maria Elma Cena, 46, and Marvin Garcia, 23, both assigned at the NAIA-4 departure area’s initial screening checkpoint.

House starts inquiry 

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives committee on transportation started on Tuesday its inquiry into the alleged extortion racket at NAIA that apparently has also victimized a member of Congress.

During the first hearing of the panel, which initiated the investigation upon the resolution of Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, Tarlac Rep. Noel Villanueva said he fell victim to the “laglag bala” scam.

The lawmaker said he was surprised that two bullets were found in his luggage when he was to board a flight to Cebu City to attend a convention.

He said he did not introduce himself as a lawmaker and he was allowed to leave NAIA-4 after showing his permit to carry firearms.

Villanueva said a female member of the Tarlac Provincial Board was also victimized last August when she left to attend the same convention in Cebu City.

Gatchalian and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who were at the inquiry, said they were alarmed that the alleged racket has been going on for more than a year at least.

“This is the height of mismanagement on the part of NAIA and the (DOTC). How can they assure us of airline safety if the very people who are supposed to protect us are the suspects?” Gatchalian said.

Romualdez said Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya should rid the OTS of scalawags. – Rudy Santos, Paolo Romero