INCIDENTS of theft continue to plague the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) as another personnel was arrested for allegedly pilfering a cellular phone owned by a wheelchair attendant working at the airport.
This developed notwithstanding strong admonition by OTS administrator Ma. O Aplasca that he would not tolerate scalawags or abusive deeds by employees and staff of the agency.
The suspect, identified as Rudolf Aquinde, was a screening officer of the OTS.
Irked by the unabated thievery, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez had 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.”
“The wheelchair attendant reported to the airport police department that his mobile phone that was at the charging station was missing. So this is prompted for the CCTV viewing,” said OTS spokesperson Kim Marquez.
Aplasca, who castigated Aquinde for the wrongdoing, said he was displeased with another blow that undermined the management’s effort to cleanse its rank.
He said Aquinde was placed under the custody of the airport police for further investigation and filing of appropriate complaint at the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.
Aplasca said the filing of criminal and administrative charges against OTS personnel found committing a crime was in line with the continuing thrust of the Department and the OTS to cleanse its rank of scalawags.”
In March, the OTS was overhauled following incidents of stealing involving screening officers at the airport.
Among the cases involved screening officers Irene Medalla and Babeth Tagapan who were caught on video taking money from a Thai national last Feb. 22, 2023 at the NAIA Terminal 2.
OTS personnel Valeriano Diaz Ricaplaza Jr. was also arrested by the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group on March 1, 2023 for taking a watch from a Chinese national. He was also dismissed from service.
From 2022 to March 10, 2023, a total of 61 OTS personnel were sanctioned, 18 of whom were dismissed, 26 reprimanded, three suspended, and 14 were referred to the Legal Office for review.
“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 anincident such as this does not help us in encouraging visitors to our country,” he added.