11 NAIA cops sacked over bullet-planting scam

NAIA Terminal 3 (Wikipedia photo)

Eleven members of the National Police-Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) stationed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila have been sacked amidst the alleged bullet-planting scam against passengers of the airport.

Avsegroup-NCR chief investigator Eugene Juaneza,  Chief Insp. Adriano Junio, and Senior Police Officer (SPO) 2 Romy Navarro and SPO2 Rolando Clarin are among the aviation cops who were relieved from their posts. Eight other Avsegroup cops stationed at the Terminal 3 of NAIA were also dismissed and will be put under investigation.

“This is a command decision in support of the ongoing investigation to determine the truth behind this,” Avsegroup spokesman Vicenter Castor was quoted as saying in a Standard report.

Clarin, Junio and Navarro were the cops Lane Michael White identified as the ones who tried to extort him of P30,000 to avoid arrest. White is the 20-year-old American missionary arrested at the NAIA for possessing a bullet in his luggage. He claimed in a Senate probe that he was a victim of the alleged bullet planting scam at the NAIA.

The Avsegroup cops who were relieved will be temporarily transferred to Avsegroup’s main headquarters while a Department of Justice investigation is pending.

Last week, Avsegroup-Metro Manila chief Supt. Ricardo Layug Jr. was replaced by Senior Supt. Adolfo Samala, former commander of the Las Piñas Police.

Chief. Supt. Pablo Francis Balagtas, director of Avsegroup said that Layug’s replacement was simply part of Philippine National Police’s “rotation process”.  He pointed out that Layug’s replacement does not necessarily indicate involvement in the alleged bullet planting scam at the NAIA.