Airport gives views on latest ‘bullet planting’ incident at NAIA

Manila: Officials on Sunday aired their side on the latest allegations of “bullet planting” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), clarifying that the person involved was not detained and there was no extortion bid.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) cited an incident last June 15 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) when a passenger took to the social media to accuse airport personnel of planting a bullet in her baggage.

'No extortion attempt'

MIAA denied that there was any attempt at extortion as passenger Kristine Bumanlag-Moran claimed in her June 15 Facebook post.

“We assure the public that Tanim Bala (bullet planting modus) is a thing of the past. Passengers found to have bullets or bullet-like items in their bags are now allowed to take their flight after proper logging of the incident,” MIAA said.

The airport authority was referring to past incidents when it had been proven that unscrupulous airport personnel would ask money from passengers by planting prohibited items such as ammunition in their belongings.

In her Facebook entry, Bumanlag-Moran, who claims to be an employee of the government, said she was at the NAIA 3 gate 3 with her mother when airport personnel saw a “black box” among her belongings in the baggage X-ray scanner and asked her to subject it for inspection.

“I obliged thinking that they saw the ‘black box’ that I have inside it (a black box is a small equipment in Physical Therapy we use for treating our patients),” she said in her post.

As it turns out, the box contained a solitary piece of 9 millimetre ammunition which is among the items passengers are prohibited from carrying in their baggage.

The June 15, 2018 incident took place at the NAIA Terminal 3 and the video went viral on social media. Prior to check in, passenger Kristine Bumanlag Moran, along with her mother and daughter, passed through initial security screening at Gate 2. Bumanlag’s brown bag was subjected to baggage search after the X-ray operator observed an image of an ammunition. Further investigation revealed that Bumanlag’s father is a retired Marine, while his brother is with the Philippine National Police. Facebook

Incensed

Incensed at the discovery of an item she claims that did not belonged to her, Bumanlag-Moran hurled invectives against police officers present at the baggage area.

Apparently apprehensive that she would be charged, Bumanlag-Moran took to social media to air her side.

But the MIAA implied that Bumanlag-Moran could be over reacting to an incident that could have been immediately settled.

“Prohibited items like bullets or ammunition whether as amulets or for any purpose are subject for confiscation. Finding bullets or bullet like items in passenger’s luggage is not unusual in NAIA,” the MIAA said.

“In this case, there is no one to ask for money or anything. There is also no money given,” MIAA said.

Nevertheless, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go assured that an investigation would be carried out into the incident, while reiterating President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise that the said modus operandi would not be tolerated under this administration.

“The Department of Transportation (DOTr), MIAA, and Office for Transportation Security (OTS) are conducting their investigation. The said agencies are expected to submit a report regarding the incident within 24 hours,” Go said.