Employees of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) yesterday held a silent protest at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) over allegations implicating them in the “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) scandal that has already tainted the image of the country in the international community.
Wearing pink armbands, the OTS employees decided to gather in a holy mass officiated by airport chaplain Rev. Fr. Ananias “Sonny” Merida at the NAIA Terminal 2 as they condemned sweeping allegations portraying that all of them are involved in the bullet-planting mess.
We decided to pray together as we all know that it is only God who can help stop these accusations against us as well as the tanim-bala scam, said Edgar Anas, national president of the OTS employees.
He also appealed for understanding and asked everyone to wait for the results of the investigation being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
President Aquino has already directed the NBI to investigate the “tanim-bala” scam, stressing that they should “watch the watchers (airport screeners).”
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said the President wanted to ensure that nobody is abusing the security measures in place at the country’s airports.
As this developed, airport security officials are set to undergo exhaustive grilling at the House of Representatives for failing to stop four Filipinas from slipping out of the country with large amount of illegal drugs, while showing keen alertness in finding bullets from other outbound passengers.
Reps. Win Gatchalian (NPC, Valenzuela City) and Roy Señeres (OFW party-list) said officials in charge of carrying out security measures in the country’s international and domestic airport owe the public an explanation for allowing the Filipinas to slip past X-ray screeners of the OTS.
Gatchalian said the admission of OTS head Roland Recamono that he was not aware of the Filipinas plight is surprising.
Foreign Affairs officials have disclosed that four Filipinas were arrested in Hong Kong for allegedly trying to smuggle a total 2.5 kilos of cocaine.
“This is the height of incompetence, if not stupidity. Here our OTS screeners are having a grand time finding bullets in several luggage and yet, they fail to detect the 2.5 kilos of cocaine that also passed through their X-ray machines,” said Gatchalian.
Gatchalian and several other lawmakers have called for a congressional inquiry into the so-called “tanim-bala” scheme of extorting money from outbound passengers at the NAIA terminal.
Gatchalian aired suspicion that the “tanim-bala” incidents may have been a mere diversion for the illegal drug smuggling incident in Hong Kong.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed that there were four Filipinas arrested for the foiled smuggling of 2.5 kilos of cocaine. Sheryl Chua, Marilou Thomas, Remelyn Rogue and a dentist identified as Dr. Ana Loella were arrested when they arrived in Hong Kong via Cebu Pacific flight 5J 142 last September 26.
