Marcos orders probe on Duterte-era NAIA bollards after deadly crash

FILE: Terminal 3 departure drop-off. (Photo By Alticzon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Ma. Cristina Arayata, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an immediate investigation into the installation and procurement of bollards or vehicle barriers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, following a tragic incident that killed two people

In a press briefing at Malacañang on Tuesday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that the bollards, which failed to stop an SUV that rammed into people outside Terminal 1, were installed in 2019 during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte and under the leadership of then-transportation secretary Arthur Tugade.

“Nakakalungkot po na may mga nasawi dahil sa di umano’y depektibong bollard na na-install sa NAIA Terminal 1 (It is saddening that lives were lost due to the allegedly defective bollards installed at NAIA Terminal 1),” Castro said.

She said Marcos had instructed concerned agencies to investigate the procurement process and assess whether the specifications used during the installation met safety standards.

“Pina-iimbestigahan na po kung paano ang naging procurement pati na ang specifications sa pag-uutos ng pangulo (The President has ordered an investigation into how the procurement was conducted and what specifications were followed),” Castro said.

“At ito’y tutugunan kaagad-agad ni Secretary Vince Dizon. Pati po ang pag-inspect sa mga bollard at mabilisang pagpapalit nito para sa safety po ng nakararami (Secretary Vince Dizon will address this immediately, including inspecting and swiftly replacing the bollards to ensure public safety).”

The fatal incident, which occurred outside Terminal 1 over the weekend, has drawn public ire and triggered renewed scrutiny of government infrastructure projects.

Surveillance footage shows the SUV plowing through the metal barriers without significant resistance before hitting multiple bystanders, killing two including a five-year-old child.

Meanwhile, the Manila International Authority (MIAA) admitted that the installation of the bollards was not deep.

“We’re looking at it until now. Our current engineer said if deep excavation would be made (for the installation of bollards at departure area), it would go through the main arrival area,” MIAA general manager Eric Ines said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.

The airport operator, New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), is currently looking for a solution, according to Ines.

“It’s up to them to decide whether they would change the bollards or come up with a new scheme, for instance,” he said.

Ines said MIAA could only make suggestions.

He added that for the meantime, he ordered the deployment of additional police officers at the Terminal 1 departure area.

“Usually there is one, or two policemen manning the area. I instructed the deployment of additional personnel so that once in a while, they could check on the drivers, if they have parked correctly,” he said without citing the number of additional manpower.

Meanwhile, Ines said the NNIC and some government agencies have provided aid to the crash victims.

He said NNIC president Ramon Ang’s daughter, Cecil, accompanied the victims. The NNIC earlier committed to shoulder their medical expenses.