‘Anxiety at NAIA must be removed’

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang understands what airport security officers feel about the bullet planting controversy, but stressed the need to totally remove public anxiety when going through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

On Friday, over 2,000 members of the NAIA’s security forces, some of them in tears, wore pink armbands as they appealed for understanding in the face of public outrage and ridicule over the laglag-bala (bullet planting) scandal.

Personnel of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) denied allegations they were planting bullets in the luggage and bags of passengers to extort money.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the OTS personnel’s morale had been adversely affected by the controversy as they said and they should be understood because “they are also humans and they also have feelings.”

But she said the passengers’ sentiments must also be taken into consideration.

Valte stressed passengers should be confident and at ease when passing through the country’s airports.

“What we are saying is that not even one or two should have worries...That is why the reactions and actions of the agencies are rigid to remove these anxieties,” she said.

The OTS personnel wore pink as a sign of protest even as they said the color symbolizes love, sympathy and unity.

They also blamed the media for “overkill” in reporting the issue.

With regard to the “zero remittance” threats from groups of migrant workers in reaction to the scam, Valte said they were free to express their sentiments on the issue.

She also said it would be up to Congress to review the laws on possession of ammunition because an executive order would not be enough.

“The law does not differentiate...if it is one live bullet, it can just be confiscated or if two, there must be prosecution. We do not have such discretion. Even if President Aquino issues an EO, it will not be enough to invalidate the law, so there is really a need for amendment,” Valte said.

Malacañang has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the allegations of laglag-bala involving security personnel and officials of NAIA.

The NBI was tasked to submit its findings to the Department of Justice on the allegations of a syndicate being behind the extortion scheme.

Sources at the NBI revealed they have collated a total of 56 people since March charged before the Pasay City court for having bullets in their luggage at the airport.

Most of those charged were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who claimed the bullets found in their luggage was charms or amulets.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said it will provide legal assistance to departing OFWs caught with bullets in their luggage.

The POEA said it will immediately advise the Department of Labor and Employment’s International Labor Affairs Bureau of any OFW apprehension so it could coordinate with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in the worker’s host country or destination.

“(This is) for purposes of advising the foreign principal or employer about the situation. The foreign principal or employer shall be requested to give the OFW reasonable time to clear his or her name with Philippine authorities,” the agency added.

Lawmakers, on the other hand, continued to press for the resignation of Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and other airport officials led by NAIA general manager Jose Angel Honrado.

Sen. Francis Escudero said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) under Abaya has become a source of embarrassment for the administration here and abroad and so it is time for its chief to go.

“Rather than wait for him to resign, President Aquino should fire him already because clearly what he has been doing is close to being described as criminal,” Escudero said.

The laglag-bala controversy has affected not only local travelers, but also tourists traveling to the Philippines, who are all aware of the issue.

“This has reached a point where even the United Nations has issued an advisory to their personnel going to the Philippines to take care of their possessions. Isn’t this very embarrassing?” Escudero remarked.

Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, for his part, said Honrado is incompetent in his job.

Nograles reiterated his call for Honrado to resign to give way to “people who can better run the airport.”  – Jess Diaz, Mayen Jaymalin, Marvin Sy, Sheila Crisostomo, Rudy Santos, Evelyn Macairan