EDITORIAL - A breach of security

She returned the way she left – surreptitiously. And even after losing the trappings of power, former starlet Laarni Enriquez managed to receive VIP treatment at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon her return. The woman who is said to be deposed President Joseph Estrada’s favorite mistress slipped back into the country Sunday night, nearly undetected but for a Customs declaration form bearing her surname and an incomplete address at Wack Wack. Enriquez did not pass through immigration, which was why there was no record of her arrival in the NAIA’s computer files and no disembarkation card.

Enriquez left for the United States last Jan. 11, the morning after Senate personnel tried to serve her a subpoena for her testimony at Estrada’s impeachment trial. We’ve all seen the perks enjoyed by those close to the man who vowed at his inaugural that there would be no special favors to his relatives and friends. Enriquez, however, arrived from Guam Sunday night with her benefactor out of power. With even President Arroyo’s daughter eschewing special treatment at NAIA, people thought such VIP treatment at the airport had disappeared.

But it was less a case of VIP treatment than a serious breach of airport security. Airport and immigration officials don’t even know who fetched Enriquez at the door of the Continental Airlines flight which touched down at 9:40 Sunday night, or where she passed on her way out of the NAIA. All that immigration officials managed to obtain was a passenger manifest of the Continental flight that included a certain L.A.A. Enriquez. Her VIP arrival was reportedly made possible by former airport executive assistant Jake Acuña, but he denied fetching her.

Immigration officials fined Continental P50,000 and threatened to file charges of human smuggling against the person who facilitated Enriquez’s arrival. Transportation officials, however, should also crack down on the airport personnel who allowed this to happen. How many other people manage to ignore arrival procedures at the country’s premier airport? At least Enriquez is no national security threat. What if a criminal or terrorist pulled the same stunt? Before there’s bigger trouble, transportation officials should make sure their people at the NAIA and all other airports nationwide are not sleeping on the job.