A major reorganization will take effect at the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) following recent incidents of stealing involving the agency’s screening officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
OTS spokesperson Kim Marquez said the agency will enforce the changes beginning Monday to enhance line supervision and emphasize accountability at each airport station nationwide.
“This strategic organizational reform initiative will include the transfer of Security Screening Officers (SSOs) from the National Capital Region to other regional airport stations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and vice versa,” Marquez said.
Apart from personnel re-assignment, the OTS took sweep actions to address the recent spate of theft incidents at the airport security screening checkpoint.
To ensure adequate supervision and the needed check and balance in security screening operations, Marquez said, the OTS tapped “more responsible and capable regional chiefs, terminal chiefs, shift supervisors and checkpoint supervisors.”
The OTS also deployed eight National Aviation Security Auditors to NAIA to conduct regular audits and inspections to ensure the sustained implementation of security measures.
Marquez said since the assumption of the present administration, there were drastic measures implemented centered on a three-pronged approach: Preventive (awareness and advocacy program), Corrective (spot-on corrections and subjecting personnel to re-training), and Punitive (imposition of administrative sanctions and ultimate penalty of dismissal).
From 2022 up to March 10, 2023, a total of 61 personnel were sanctioned. Of the number, 18 were dismissed, 26 were reprimanded, three were suspended, and 14 were submitted to the Legal Office for review.
“These were for various infractions committed ranging from violation of the OTS No Tipping Policy, improper disposal of security prohibited items confiscated at the security screening checkpoint, involvement in theft and extortion, facilitation, and failure to turn over left behind items,” said Marquez.
Also, the OTS found screening officers Irene Medalla and Babeth Tagapan—who were seen in a video taking money from a Thai national last Feb. 22, 2023 at NAIA Terminal 2—guilty and dismissed them from service.
The other conspirator guilty of the infraction is undergoing dismissal procedures following Civil Service rules and regulations for contractual personnel.
Meanwhile, SSO Valeriano Diaz Ricaplaza Jr, who was arrested by the PNP Aviation Security Group on March 1, 2023 for taking a watch owned by a Chinese national was also dismissed from the service.
Six other OTS personnel involved in the case of Korean pop band Enhypen were reprimanded for violations of the standard operating procedures.
To prevent similar infractions, the OTS issued a directive on the “One Strike Policy” effective March 01, 2023 to reiterate command responsibility, and a separate directive prohibiting the wearing of jackets, pants with pockets, as well as the prohibition against wearing jewelry while on duty.
The OTS coordinates with law enforcement agencies to assist the victims in filing appropriate criminal charges against its personnel, to show its aggressive stance to address illegal activities perpetrated by its very own personnel.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez earlier asked Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to replace all OTS personnel assigned at the Manila airport following the incidents of theft, calling it a “national embarrassment.”
“It sounds a bit extreme, but circumstances call for extreme measures. So, it needs to be addressed sternly,” Romualdez said.
“It is embarrassing, and it makes us mad. How can we encourage tourists to come over to our country if they are thieves watching over them at our airports? Attracting tourists should be a priority, and an incident such as this does not help us in encouraging visitors to our country,” he added.
Also on Friday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines cautioned the public against unscrupulous individuals using the agency to solicit money.
The agency issued the warning after receiving information that there are individuals claiming to represent the office Director General Manuel Antonio Tamayo and giving out false bank information in soliciting money.
“The authority does not tolerate these acts and urges the public to report to our office any activities relating to the above so that appropriate criminal charges may be filed against them. We further urge the public to remain vigilant,” said CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio.
