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Advocates Philippines
NAIA Extortionists Suspended by Office for Transportation Security
Screengrab from Piyawat Gunlayaprasit
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 has once again made headlines for the wrong reasons, as a video of alleged extortion by Office for Transportation Security (OTS) personnel went viral on social media on February 22, 2023.
The video shows a departing foreign national confronting a Security Screening Officer (SSO) and requesting the return of money taken from him amounting to 20,000 Yen or equivalent to P8,000, which was handed over to the passenger.
In response to the incident, the OTS took action to identify the involved SSOs, relieving them of their duties and placing them under preventive suspension. OTS investigators are now preparing to file appropriate administrative cases against the erring personnel.
Additionally, the OTS is pursuing the filing of criminal charges against the perpetrators and seeking the cooperation of the victimized foreign national to expedite the filing of an airtight case.
This incident is part of a broader problem of corruption and misconduct within the OTS, which has been addressing these issues through an internal cleansing program since July 2022. To date, the program has resulted in the dismissal of fourteen erring personnel, the suspension of three, and the resolution of six cases by the OTS Legal Service.
Meanwhile, Committee on Public Services chairperson Senator Grace Poe expressed her disappointment and dismay. During a press conference on February 27, 2023, Poe called for criminal charges to be filed against the security personnel involved if they are proven to have stolen money from the departing Thai tourist.
She also requested a report from the OTS on its investigation of the incident, as well as closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages and previous cases of theft at NAIA.
The video shows a departing foreign national confronting a Security Screening Officer (SSO) and requesting the return of money taken from him amounting to 20,000 Yen or equivalent to P8,000, which was handed over to the passenger.
In response to the incident, the OTS took action to identify the involved SSOs, relieving them of their duties and placing them under preventive suspension. OTS investigators are now preparing to file appropriate administrative cases against the erring personnel.
Additionally, the OTS is pursuing the filing of criminal charges against the perpetrators and seeking the cooperation of the victimized foreign national to expedite the filing of an airtight case.
This incident is part of a broader problem of corruption and misconduct within the OTS, which has been addressing these issues through an internal cleansing program since July 2022. To date, the program has resulted in the dismissal of fourteen erring personnel, the suspension of three, and the resolution of six cases by the OTS Legal Service.
Meanwhile, Committee on Public Services chairperson Senator Grace Poe expressed her disappointment and dismay. During a press conference on February 27, 2023, Poe called for criminal charges to be filed against the security personnel involved if they are proven to have stolen money from the departing Thai tourist.
She also requested a report from the OTS on its investigation of the incident, as well as closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages and previous cases of theft at NAIA.
Feb 28, 2023
