Airport worker involved in alleged theft under probe

FILE: Passengers at NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City queue at the check-in counter as it resumes its operation after Air Traffic Management Center of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines experienced a technical issue on Sunday (Jan. 1, 2023). (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – An airport worker of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) is under investigation for alleged theft following an incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.

OTS spokesperson Kim Marquez said one of their checkpoint supervisors reported that a passenger lost USD300 last Sept.

8, prompting them to initiate a probe.

The OTS has identified one screening officer as of Monday afternoon and is still investigating whether other personnel are involved, Marquez said.

The OTS is working closely with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the Philippine National Police Aviation Security in addressing the issue, the OTS said in a statement.

OTS administrator Ma. O Aplasca is urging the public to report illegal activities of their personnel.

Preventive measures have been undertaken by the OTS “since the first incident of theft was reported”, he said.

“We are just waiting for the official copy of the CCTV (footage) from MIAA.

Then we file the admin and criminality case in coordination with APD (Airport Police Department) and PNP AVSEGroup,” Aplasca told the Philippine News Agency.

Last March, a screening personnel was arrested for allegedly stealing a watch from a passenger at the NAIA Terminal 1. Since March, the OTS has prohibited jackets and pockets on the personnel’s uniform.

“Noong ma-report ‘yung unang insidente ng nakawan sa security screening checkpoint, hindi tayo nagdalawang isip tanggalin sa ating hanay, at sampahan ng kaso yung mga anay na sumisira sa imahe ng gobyerno.

Tayo mismo, ipinakulong natin ‘yung sarili nating tao. We even reported them to the public para huwag pamarisan ng iba (When the first incident of theft was reported, we didn’t have a second thought on axing and filing a case against those who ruin the image of the government. We sent our personnel to prison, and we even reported that to the public so others won’t imitate them),” Aplasca said.

Some OTS personnel also got involved in alleged extortion of money from a foreigner in February.

In the same month, OTS personnel and their supervisors also got involved in a security breach after a video of a female screener body-frisking members of a Kpop boy group, Enhypen, went viral.