Transportation Security administrator Undersecretary Ma-o Aplasca yesterday said he was “surprised” with the resignation call of Speaker Martin Romualdez for his supposed failure to stop illegal activities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
In a statement read by OTS deputy administrator Assistant Secretary Jose Briones Jr. during the Senate hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of Transportation and its attached agencies, Aplasca said he was caught flat-footed why Romualdez picked on him instead of asking erring airport officers to quit.
“I have done nothing wrong but to cleanse our office with corrupt officials. Why am I now being attacked? For going after corrupt officials? I think it should be the other way around. The corrupt officials should instead be asked to resign,” said Aplasca.
Briones told senators Aplasca went on a leave of absence on Tuesday pending the outcome of the investigation into the incident involving the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) security screener who was seen swallowing dollar bills allegedly stolen from a Chinese passenger.
Aplasca said the case “is still being resolved” and said that Romualdez’s call was unfair since the latter wants the “investigator” to quit his post ahead of the erring agent.
“There must be something wrong somewhere,” he added.
Romualdez on Monday demanded that Aplasca quit from his post, and warned he will block the approval of the OTS budget for next year if he does not.
Romualdez was particularly displeased by reports involving with the viral video of the security officer who was caught on CCTV camera stuffing the supposed stolen dollar bills into her mouth.
The OTS has explained that she was eating a chocolate at the time she was caught on CCTV, but the OTS said it is prohibited to eat anything while at the screening area.
The House Speaker said Aplasca should submit his courtesy resignation under the principle of command responsibility to make way for a full revamp of the airport security office since the OTS has already received “three strikes.”
Aplasca said he will discuss the matter with Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and President Marcos Jr.
“As a leader, I am taking full responsibility for what the OTS does and fails to do. I will discuss this matter with Secretary Bautista and the President,” he said.
“However, I will not allow anyone to humiliate me and allow any wrong information thrive because of how unjust it is to the good men and women of OTS who tirelessly dedicate their hard work to serve the public every day. And I stand against this public humiliation for the sake of my family who, in my more than 40 years serving this country, is hurting now more than ever over such insensitive, malicious, and personal attacks,” he added.
Aplasca said since he was appointed as OTS administrator in July 2022, he initiated the investigation of 68 administrative cases for violation of various disciplinary and administrative policies which led to the dismissal of 11 personnel.
Among the anomalies Aplasca said he discovered at the OTS was the irregularity in the recruitment of personnel who were asked to shell out P20,000 each to get a job in the agency.
He said training programs on values formation and moral recovery have been enhanced for officers and personnel of OTS.
“Reward and punishment programs were also implemented to equally recognize exemplary conduct of honest and hard-working personnel. As of today, the OTS has recognized at least 115 honest personnel for returning left behind properties and money ranging from few hundreds of pesos to millions,” he said.
For long-term initiatives, Aplasca said they have filed proposed bills in Congress for the passage of a law to make the OTS a more stable organization.
“Request for enhancement of salary grade of personnel is also now being deliberated in the Department of Budget and Management as a priority initiative,” Aplasca said.
