SEN. Ronald dela Rosa yesterday called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) to probe the incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) involving a security screener who was caught on closed circuit television camera (CCTV) stuffing dollar bills into her mouth which she allegedly stole from a Chinese passenger.
Dela Rosa’s statement came after Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista ordered the OTS to file charges against the airport staff who is accused of stealing and swallowing $300 from a departing passenger.
“The Office of Transportation Security and the Department of Transportation should get to the bottom of this newly discovered modus operandi at NAIA. Malala na ito kung totoong kinakain ang pera (This is bad if they are swallowing money) just to avoid getting caught,” Dela Rosa, who is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, told CNN Philippines on Thursday.
“We are hurting our own reputation before the international arena if this crime is not being addressed immediately,” he added.
Sen. Grace Poe echoed Dela Rosa’s statement and described the incident as “infuriating and embarrassing.”
“Parang hindi nauubusan ng gimik ang mga kawatan sa airport. Pero maaaring ang nakita sa CCTV ay hindi ang buong kuwento. May mga report na nagsasabing inutusan ang OTS personnel na gawin ito para hindi mahuli. Ibig sabihin, may mga kasabwat pa ito (It seems that airport personnel never run out of gimmicks. But what was seen on the CCTV may not be the whole story. There were reports that the OTS personnel were ordered to do this to avoid being caught. So, that means there are accomplices,” Poe, who is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said.
Poe said authorities should file complaints and impose the maximum penalty against any airport personnel who will be found to be involved in the said modus.
At the same time, she called on the OTS to “properly vet applicants” and do a reinterview of its current employees to prevent a repeat of the incident.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Wednesday said the airport security officer accused of stealing and swallowing the money has been put on preventive suspension while the investigation is ongoing.
The security screener was seen on video putting what seemed to be paper bills into her mouth after inspecting the luggage of a departing passenger. A colleague was also caught on video handling her a bottle of water when she seemed to have gagged while swallowing the money.
The passenger was later seen returning to the screening table to complain that he has allegedly lost $300 from his wallet.
