Manila: Complaints had been filed against Transport Secretary Emilio Abaya and several officials in connection with alleged bullet planting modus at the country’s premier airport, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

A group led by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) filed a case on Tuesday before the Office of the Ombudsman against Abaya as well as Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado and two other officials, for “gross neglect.”

“We have just filed a case against Abaya and Airport officials based on EO 226 (The Doctrine of Command Responsibility in all Law Enforcement Agencies of Government). We must put an end to these kind of abuses against our countrymen,” Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who was among those who filed the complaint, said.

“If our officials cannot solve these issues fast and ensure the safety and well-being of the people they sworn to protect, then I see no point in making them remain in office,” Cayetano said in a press statement.

“The heart of the cause of action of this complaint is the gross inaction of the respondents, even amid knowledge of the crime or offence of their subordinates or lapses within their jurisdiction,” he added.

The complainant called for the suspension of Abaya, Honrado as well as Office for Transportation Security (OTS) administrator Roland Recomono and Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group director Chief Superintendent Pablo Francisco Balagtas.

Passengers are prohibited from taking ammunition — whether spent rounds or live bullets — aboard commercial aircraft.

The Philippines has long banned such items, but recently, there had been a glaring rise in incidents involving apprehension of such items inside luggage of passengers. According to the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group the number of passengers caught with bullets and other items associated with firearms among their belongings had shot up 775 per cent this year compared to last year.

This gave rise to suspicions that the contraband were planted by unscrupulous airport personnel to extort money from hapless passengers.

But lawmakers said some people at the airport — including possibly private taxi operators — may just be trying to make more money using regulation as an excuse.

Senator Francis Escudero noted that last week, a 60-year-old engineer who was flying to Manila from Davao was found in possession of two bullets at the Davao International Airport.

“Like most of the victims, he said he did not know how the bullets got into his luggage but he was charged nonetheless for illegal possession of ammunition. He was released after posting a P150,000 (Dhs 11,756) bail,” he said.