Manila: The Philippines has tighten regulations for passengers bringing electronic gadgets into the airport amid heightened security imposed in some countries to guard against terror attacks.

Jonathan Maliwat, public information officer of the Office for Transportation Security told Gulf News that a new directive had been issued by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) with regards to bringing in electronics gadgets, such as laptops, cameras, mobile phones and other similar items, at the airports.

“There is nothing new with regards to screening of baggage brought in to the airports and seaports; they all have to go mandatory processing at the X-ray machine. But for electronic gadgets, passengers are now required to separate the batteries from the devices,” he said.

Separate reports said passengers have also been required to turn on their devices after removing the batteries.

According to Maliwat, the new procedures had been observed over the past few days at the country’s international as well as domestic airports.

“All passengers, especially those travelling by air, are required to remove batteries of electronic devices that they are carrying with them, before they pass through the airport X-ray machines at the check-in counters,” Maliwat said.

He clarified that the batteries would only be removed at the check in counter, afterwards, when the passenger can proceed with boarding their flight.

The tightened rules observed at the port of entries in the Philippines had been the result of increased security being observed at airports in other countries following renewed warnings of possible terror attacks.

“We are just abiding by the ICAO [International Civil Aviation Authority] rules since we are signatory to this. It is not just the Philippines which is imposing this security check regulation,” he said.

Last week, US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson gave orders to the his country’s Transportation Security Administration to implement “enhanced security measures to certain overseas airports with direct flights to the United States”.

“Powerless devices will not be permitted on board the aircraft,” the US official said, explaining that batteries of gadgets being checked in at the counters had to have enough charge to turn the device on.

In a related development, GMA News reported that authorities in Central Philippines’ Cebu have arrested Australian Robert Edward Musa Cerantonio during a raid in Lapu-Lapu City.

Ceratonio was arrested around 5am on Friday in the village of Pajac by a combined team of police and bureau of immigrations agents. It is unclear if he really has ties with extremist groups as local authorities had alleged.

Ceratonio had been arrested by police following information that he was planning to carry out a bombing mission in the Philippines. But authorities, according to the GMA report, failed to find any evidence that could link him to such a terror attack.

The Muslim preacher had been staying in the country for more than a year.