Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the dismissal of three employees of the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) allegedly involved in a “tanim-bala” incident at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
In a press briefing on Monday, March 10, Dizon said proper administrative charges will be filed, pending a full investigation.
“We will not stand for any abuse. Any abuse will be met with the same result and the same swift action us, as mandated by the President himself,” he said.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, 69-year-old Ruth Adel set to travel to Vietnam with her family accused NAIA security personnel of planting a bullet in her baggage as they were about to board their flight on March 6.
According to Adel, the security personnel claimed they have an x-ray image of an “anting-anting” (lucky charm) in the form of a bullet casting inside her baggage.
She said a thorough inspection of the bag revealed that there is no bullet casting in the said bag.
“Ni hindi humingi ng paumanhin sa abala at perwisyo na binigay nila sa akin. Kapag hindi sila naturuan ng leksyon, patuloy ng mambibiktima itong mga opisyales na ito,” Adel said in the post.
(They didn’t even apologize for the inconvenience and trouble they gave me. If they aren’t taught a lesson, these officers will continue to victimize others.)
For his part, Dizon emphasized that government officials are “people’s servant, not their lords.”
“The power and authority vested in government officials like us, from the President down to the OTS personnel, is meant to serve the people, not to abuse, not to maltreat,” he said.
The Transportation chief said he has ordered OTS officials to review the procedures of screening and security protocols at the airport.
He added that the DOTr will set up a hotline at NAIA where passengers can report issues they may face at the airport.
“I am calling our kababayans kapag nangyari sa inyo ito, huwag kayong matatakot, huwag kayong mahihiya, i-report niyo agad,” said Dizon.
(I am calling our countrymen, if this happens to you, do not be afraid, do not be ashamed, report it immediately.)
The “tanim-bala” modus operandi became prevalent in 2015, when NAIA security personnel were alleged to have planted bullets in the baggage of passengers in order to extort money from them.
Meanwhile, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the private operator of NAIA, said it is working with the OTS to reinforce security monitoring, proper screening procedures, and transparency in security operations to “prevent similar incidents and strengthen public confidence.”
“NNIC remains committed to working with the OTS and other authorities to provide a secure and seamless airport experience,” NNIC said in a statement.
“Our priority is to maintain an airport environment that is safe and efficient for all travelers,” it added.
The OTS, a unit of the DOTr, is the sole agency overseeing security screening, including x-ray baggage inspections at the airport