Fans are taking a step forward regarding the frisking of members of K-pop group ENHYPEN by a female employee at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which they described as “unprofessional.”
After their three-day “Manifesto” concert in Manila, ENHYPEN went to NAIA Terminal 1 on Feb. 5 to board their flight back to South Korea.
A video, originally posted on TikTok and which was spread on Twitter, showed a female employee at NAIA frisking ENHYPEN members during a security screening and asking them to pull down their face masks.
Fans were outraged by what they called “unprofessional” behavior of the unidentified employee when she frisked the K-pop stars.
The Office for Transportation Security (OTS), responsible for the security of transportation systems in the Philippines, has launched an investigation into the matter.
However, ENHYPEN fans said they are talking to a lawyer about the incident, vowing not “to let this pass.”
“We are now working closely with an Attorney,” the ENHYPEN fan account ENHYPEN ASIA posted on Twitter on Feb. 7.
It added, “We will be proceeding to the next step later today, because it's so tiring to hear ‘we will investigate’ ‘we'll see if the one who uploaded the video is our staff’ repeatedly.”
“Again, we won't let this pass. No way,” the account added.
They told Manila Bulletin, "We hope that those who are at fault will learn their lesson, because this is not just a minor matter, and it affected ENHYPEN due to their lack of professionalism."
"This can also have an impact on our image among tourists, as being comfortable and safe in a specific country is essential, and we don’t want to leave negative impressions on other people," they said.
The OTS issued on Feb. 6 a statement about the ENHYPEN video, saying, “It has come to the attention of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) that there is a video circulating on social media, showing that airport Security Screening Officers allegedly exhibited unprofessional behavior and the unwarranted filming during the conduct of security screening procedures on a group of departing Korean artists at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.”
“The management is currently investigating the matter to determine the extent of violation committed based on existing rules and security screening protocols if any, and impose appropriate administrative sanctions, should it be necessary,” the agency said.
It added, “While we understand the excitement brought about by the presence of these Korean artists, we remind not only our personnel, but all airport users, that unauthorized filming at our security screening checkpoints is not allowed as a matter of policy. Rest assured that the OTS shall never tolerate any unprofessional behavior towards the riding public.”
ENHYPEN fans are demanding authorities to punish the airport screener for the behavior. They have also cited incidents of privacy violations including last December when ENHYPEN visited the Philippines.
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