Davao has been the target of terrorist bombings in recent weeks, so you'd think authorities would have taken extra security precautions at least in public places. A report published yesterday said the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group had placed its troops on "double red alert" in all major airports. But the alert apparently did not cover the busy Davao International Airport.
At 2 p.m. yesterday, Philippine Airlines Flight PR 812 took off from the airport. Into the 90-minute flight to Manila, a passenger identified as Augusto Lakandula whipped out an improvised pistol and a hand grenade and announced he was hijacking the plane. Lakandula wanted the Airbus 330 to turn back to Davao but was told that the plane did not have enough fuel for that. The hijacker relented, then proceeded to rob his fellow passengers, giving them a sob story about needing money for his family. Presumably, he was so needy he stole the P3,600 needed for a one-way PAL ticket to Manila. As the plane approached its destination and reduced its altitude, the pilot depressurized the plane, allowing Lakandula to jump off with a parachute.
How many Filipinos know how to skydive? Only paratroopers, Air Force members, plane crew and skydiving enthusiasts with special training. Is Lakandula a soldier? The answer to this question may shed light on how his hand gun and grenade got past the "double red alert" security status at the Davao International Airport. Was there an alert at all in that airport -- one of just four international airports in the country? If Philippine airports' security rating gets downgraded once again by international agencies, we have only ourselves to blame.
This serious breach of security is the last thing needed by a citizenry already jittery over bombings in Mindanao and Metro Manila. The least that the government can do is arrest Lakandula. This is taking robbery to new heights. After this bizarre hijacking, the administration can't blame people for asking, "What's happening to this country?" President Estrada should crack down hard on the government officials who allowed this to happen. If only this were just a badly scripted movie.