SEN. Raffy Tulfo yesterday urged the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) administration to emulate the best practices of Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in connection with “tanim-bala (bullet-planting)” incidents at the terminal.
Tulfo, Committee on Public Services chairman, made the recommendation after he visited the MCIA and observed how its personnel implemented tight security protocols to prevent such modus operandi at the airport.
He conducted the investigation at the MCIA to clarify reports that a 47-year-old woman was arrested after her baggage was found to have four live bullets while en route to Tacloban City last March 27.
Tulfo said MCIA general manager Julius Neri told him that airport personnel strictly follow security measures that make it impossible to engage in such modus operandi, which has victimized hundreds of local and foreign air passengers.
Neri told Tulfo that the 47-year-old woman said she was not aware that bullets were in a pouch in her bag as she does not own the pouch, which had cash and vouchers that belonged to the company she works for.
Neri said no such modus operandi has happened in the MCIA since 2016.
He said CCTV cameras are also focused on X-ray machines, and upon reviewing their footage, no irregularities were found.
During such incidents when airport security personnel accost a passenger for carrying bullets or other illegal items, Neri said it is mandatory for the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) personnel and members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Security Unit to capture the incident on video while inspecting a bag in the presence of and with the permission of its owner.
Airport personnel also showed Tulfo the step-by-step process of how they respond whenever a passenger is caught with bullets or contraband items.
Tulfo was impressed with how the MCIA conducts its security checks and mentioned that he will suggest adopting these practices at NAIA.
