By Butch Fernandez & Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
MALACAÑANG is not yet ready to kick out Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) officials, led by Naia General Manager Jose Honrado, for failing to stop the tanim-bala racket by suspected airport insiders planting bullets to extort money from airline passengers.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino instead ordered Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) officials to first “cast a wide net” in verifying the allegations before the Palace acts on a public clamor for a top-to-bottom revamp to rid the main international airport of racketeers.
In a news briefing, Lacierda confirmed Aquino’s directive issued during a meeting with DOTC and airport officials at the Palace on Monday.
“The President is not belittling the problem,” Lacierda added, “that is why he called the meeting with the transport officials.”
Asked if the President would push through a revamp of airport officials to effectively stop the tanim-bala racket, he said: “The President said we first have to look at all assumptions and identify the problem so we come up with a correct solution to the problem. That is his marching orders…there are more data that need to be looked into, including alegations of extortion.”
Lacierda reported that the DOTC is expected to come up with a full report “within this week.” But, he declined to go into details when asked about the specifics of the President’s directive saying, “we defer to the DOTC as to what those instructions are.”
The Palace official, however, repeatedly pointed out at the briefing that a Japanese tourist recently arrested by airport authorities for carrying a round of ammunition admitted he just came from target practice, in contrast with other passengers who complained the rounds found in their luggage were probably planted by still-unidentified persons on their arrival at the airport.
“There are suggestions that we just confiscate such bullets and let the passenger go but we have laws,” Lacierda said. “Let us wait for the DOTC [findings],” he added even as he confirmed that the existence of a syndicate behind the tanim-bala racket is “one of the assumptions the DOTC will look into.”
He said Aquino’s instructions to the DOTC was to “cast a wide net on the data and processes at the airport.” Aquino also left it to the DOTC to update the public on its findings, Lacierda said. “We are looking at the data. That is a general statement but we are taking a hard look at it,” he said, referring to the airport racket. “The DOTC’s task should not be difficult. There is enough data.”
Lawmakers in uproar
LEGISLATORS on Monday asked the leadership of the House of Representatives to act on a pending resolution seeking an investigation into the series of tanim-bala (ammunition- planting) incidents at the Naia.
House Resolution 2419, filed by Nationalist People’s Coalition Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela, directs the House Committees on Good Government and on Transportation to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the tanim-bala racket at the country’s premier airport.
Gatchalian issued the call amid reports that may Filipino workers abroad would rather spend Christmas out of the Philippines rather than be victimized by the tanim-bala extortion scheme at the Naia.
Gatchalian said it is alarming that the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) personnel carry rounds of live ammunition in their pockets, thus, violating security measures at the airport.
The OTS is under the DOTC.
The lawmaker also said that since OTS personnel have already lost credibility, it is but proper that a top-to-bottom revamp be made by Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya Jr. in order to rectify the breakdown in security at the airport.
He added it is high time for Abaya to personally address the issue by ordering a total revamp of the OTS by assigning new personnel with untarnished record to man the x-ray machines in all Naia terminals.
More than 5,000 people have signed the Change.org petition calling on both houses of Congress to immediately conduct an investigation on the tanim-bala racket, which have already victimized a number of overseas workers
Party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna, who also called for an investigation, said the lower chamber should determine “first, if whether we need to review the law which criminalizes mere possession of one or two bullets, and second, if we need to draft a law that will simply allow the confiscation of one to two bullets but will not criminalize it.”
“We need to consult on this possible review because this has been going on for sometime and it is possible that many of the commanding officers knew about the scam but tolerated it or are part of the scam,” Colmenares said.
Meanwhile, the House Committee on Labor chairman, Liberal Party Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles of Davao, said that Manila International Airport Administration Manager Angel Jose Honrado “should spare President Aquino by voluntarily resigning his post and allow more competent and reputable managers to run the country’s airports.”
Nograles said, “Honrado is causing pain and anguish not only to the Aquino administration but to the entire nation, as well.”
Party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz of Abakada, on the other hand, said Honrado and all other officials involved in the operations and security of Naia and other international airports around the country must all submit their courtesy resignation, especially in the light of the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec)
Leaders’ Summit.
“Even as we are rushing with our last-minute preparations for Apec, we must enjoin all the heads of agencies in charge of operations and security at the international airport to submit their courtesy resignation. We need to put in an entirely new crew in charge of inspection and security and file charges against those involved in this tanim-bala racket,” de la Cruz said.
At the Senate, Sen. Ralph G. Recto said the unspent P1.4 billion from the Airport Security Fee collection, as of December 31, 2014, could be used to fund the purchase of equipment to bolster security at the premier airport, including a closed-circuit television system that can take images of objects that pass through the airport security’s x-ray system.
With Recto L. Mercene
Image credits: Nonie Reyes
1 comment
NINOY AQUINO, Scam and Worst airport of the World.
Hoy Ngoyngoy, Tatay mo….
BULOK!!!!!