DOTr vows safer transportation system following cash smuggling try

CEBU, Philippines — Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon assured that their department will closely coordinate with law enforcement agencies and adopt a whole-of-government approach to ensuring that the entire transportation systems and its passengers are safe and secure following the interception of millions in cash at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport last Friday.

This came after President Bongbong Marcos said that all government agencies must work closely in addressing criminality and ensuring the country’s peace and security.

DOTr commended the Office of the Transportation Security (OTS) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) together with other law enforcement agencies for their swift action in seizing almost half a billion pesos in cash and other currencies at the MCIA, which led to the arrest of nine foreigners and two Filipinos.

The bundles of cash contained in seven trolley bags were in the possession of 11 passengers bound for Manila via flight RPC 9968 last Friday.

Security Screening Officer Missy Ayessa Cafe, the X-ray operator at the time of the incident, detected an unusual image on the monitor.

“This prompted her to call the attention of SSO Rosendo Anoos and an officer from the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Unit. They then discovered that the seven trolley bags contained bundles of cash,” OTS said.

The eleven individuals now under investigation included Chinese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Kazakh nationals, and two Filipinos.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in its own official statement said the total amount intercepted was ?441 million in cash.

“The involvement of multiple foreign nationals strongly suggests the alarming possibility of foreign interference in our sovereign electoral process,” the AFP said in a statement on Sunday.

The AFP said the group arrived in a white Toyota Super Grandia with plate number NGL 5798 and allegedly attempted to bypass standard security protocols.

The failure of these individuals to provide valid documentation for the transport of a significant amount of cash constitutes a clear violation of Commission on Elections Resolution No. 11104, which regulates and penalizes the unauthorized transport of large sums of money during the election period.

Authorities are also coordinating with the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Bureau of Immigration to investigate possible violations of money laundering and immigration laws.

“This incident raises serious concerns about potential election-related illegal activities, including vote-buying and money laundering. The involvement of multiple foreign nationals strongly suggests the alarming possibility of foreign interference in our sovereign electoral process,” AFP said. — (FREEMAN)