US missionaries asked of P30K by NAIA cops

Lane Michael White (left) and Ryan White (right) listen as Eloisa Zoleta (center) testifies at the Senate inquiry on ‘tanim-bala’ scam at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. (Screenshot from Inquirer.net footage)

Two American nationals and a Filipina said yesterday in a Senate probe that police officers asked them to pay P30,000 to drop a case of possession of a bullet at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Eloisa Zoleta, stepmother of Lane Michael White and wife to Ryan White, the two American missionaries who are alleged victims of ‘tanim-bala’ scam at the NAIA, said that police officers asked them to pay P30,000 before the matter reaches police headquarters where they would be asked for P80,000 pesos to settle the matter despite their insistence of innocence.

Zoleta and the Whites were headed to Coron, Palawan to look for a land where they could build a church.

Lane Michael White’s bag passed through the scanner several times before a bullet was detected, said Zoleta. No bullet was detected at the initial inspection but when screening officer Maria Elma Cena supposedly placed her hand inside White’s bag, a bullet was detected in the following x-ray scan, she added.

Zoleta and White were then informed of the detection of the bullet and were asked by Cena if they would like to have their flight to Coron moved. Cena assured them that it would be easy as their flight was at 12:45 p.m. Cena’s remark confused Zoleta if they have indeed breached a law.

“I was thinking that if it was really the law and there was one ammo found in the luggage, shouldn’t their answer be that we wouldn’t be able to go to Coron because they would jail my son? Shouldn’t that be the answer if they were implementing it?” said Zoleta, in an Inquirer.net report.

White was then brought at the Philippine National Police (PNP) office.

Zoleta told the Senate that two police officers have talked to her and White on settling the matter. One PNP officer called “Junio” came to Zoleta and asked of what happened at the NAIA. When Zoleta explained to Junio, the latter said, “Usually we let the possession of such items pass. We just say it’s an amulet. If we negotiate that here, it (will cost you) P30,000. But if it’s passed on to headquarters, it’s P80,000.”

PNP officer Junio also asked Zoleta of her husband and stepson’s jobs. She said that her husband is a pastor who did not receive salary and that her stepson has recently quit his job.

White was asked by Rolando Clarin, a police officer, to pay P30,000 to avoid jail. White insisted that he was innocent and said that he did not have the money to pay.

Other officers have also asked White and Zoleta to admit the criminal offense they were accused of, said Zoleta.

At White’s inquest, Zoleta said that Cena came up to her and asked the former to just admit to possessing a bullet. Cena even mentioned to the pregnant Zoleta the humanitarian law that could aid her.

“I responded to her, ‘ma’am, why would I admit it?’ I know that’s the easier way out to say it’s ours and I’m pregnant, but I told her we’re Christians. We can’t lie about a small thing just to find an easy way out,” Zoleta said in the same report.

The Whites and Zoleta were among the individuals who invited to the Senate probe on the alleged ‘tanim-bala’ scam at NAIA.