Lawmakers call for probe on “tanim bala” scam at NAIA

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Valenzuela representative Sherwin Gatchalian and Rep. Carol Lopez of Yakap (You Against Corruption and Poverty) have requested to the congress for an investigation on extortion reports at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The alleged extortion scandal involves planting bullets in the suitcases of passengers. An employee who is in with the scam would inform the passenger that they have found a bullet in his/her luggage, an offence that could get a passenger arrested. The passenger would be asked by the employee if he/she would like to give a certain amount of money to “settle” the offence.

The scandal dubbed as “tanim bala” (planting a bullet) first broke on social networking site Facebook where a Filipino passenger wrote of her experience as victim of the scam created by some NAIA employees.

Just last week, a Japanese tourist was arrested at NAIA when he was found to be carrying two 9mm bullets in his baggage. Kazunobu Sakamoto was charged with violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Gloria Ortinez was also arrested and charged after Office of Transportation Security (OTS) personnel found bullets in her luggage. She spent a few days in detention before being released.

“This is becoming an international embarrassment. OTS personnel do not only shamelessly victimize our country’s modern-day heroes, but are also not afraid to prey on foreigners,” said Gatchalian to Inquirer.

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Migrante, a party-list group representing OFWs has released a statement urging President Aquino to sack MIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado for letting the scam continue under his management.

In September, Sen. Ralph Recto filed a resolution in the Senate summoning for an inquiry into the “tanim bala” scandal.

“A Senate investigation is needed because agencies operating in NAIA have failed to curb the abuses on their own.

There is no working system that is ‘guarding the guards,’” the senator said in an interview with Inquirer.net.