Aquino downplays ‘tanim-bala’ scam, wants proof

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III delivers his speech during the arrival ceremony at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on Sunday (Nov 23, 2015) after attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders in attending the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, Malaysia. (Photo by Joseph Vidal/Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA – With the ‘tanim–bala’ (bullet-planting) modus operandi at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) making headlines, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III asserted that there was a possibility no such extortion scheme actually existed.

Just like Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya who dismissed the small number of passengers’ arrest from the total number of travelers, Aquino also downplayed the controversy.

“How many people pass through the NAIA per year? The figure is 34 million. How many of those were involved in a bullet case? What they reported out of the 34 million is 1,200 incidents,” he said in a press conference over the weekend.

“Medyo ang liit naman yata (That [number] seems quite small),” he added.

The President then disclosed a case where three passengers claimed allegedly falling victims of the modus, and airport personnel trying to extort money from them to dismiss charges after a bullet or two were found in their baggage.

Among the alleged victims, one eventually admitted that the bullet found in his bad was his.

“If the report that three out of three million is true, how can we say there is an epidemic – that there is a high probability you will get into trouble or that you can say there is a chance you will fall victim to the racket?,” Aquino asked.

“I have to balance it. In the end [we need] proof. Is there proof that will confirm or deny the tanim–bala scam?,” he added, noting that the issue was also biased against the innocent airport staff.

Not entirely claiming that the airport scheme did not exist, the Malacañang has then been looking into all data and evidences regarding the issue before acknowledging the existence of the modus operandi.

“Let’s identify the problem correctly so that we can identify also the solutions correctly… These are assumptions we need to validate. That’s why we need to look at all the assumption that have been put out,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

Lacierda also stressed that a thorough investigation on each case and validation on each instance was ongoing as Aquino wanted to ‘cast a wide net’ and ‘look at the entire picture.’

The Presidential spokesperson, however, denied that the government was ‘detached’ from the issue and that the President was ‘not concerned’ over the matter. He clarified that they only wanted to ‘verify and validate all assumptions that have been put out in the media.’

Lacierda then assured the public that the Aquino administration will address the alleged ‘tanim-bala’ scheme and carry out necessary measures.