Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero on Tuesday urged transport and justice officials to conduct a thorough cleansing of airport personnel nationwide to improve the country’s image for both local and international visitors.
His call follows the dismissal of security personnel involved in the “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) scheme.
Escudero commended newly appointed Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon for swiftly dismissing three Office of Transportation Security employees accused of attempting to extort a 69-year-old woman and her family before their flight to Vietnam. No bullet or casing was found in their belongings.
The Senate President emphasized that these dismissals should pave the way for broader reforms to enhance the country’s main airport, particularly with a new, proactive transportation secretary and the privatization of airport operations under the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC).
“We now have an opportunity to implement long-term reforms that will improve the country’s image and enhance the experience of both visitors and domestic travelers—from arrival to departure. This is long overdue,” Escudero said.
Escudero was instrumental in including a special provision in the 2024 General Appropriations Act mandating reimbursement for passengers who miss flights due to excessive or unnecessary questioning by immigration personnel. The refunds will be sourced from the Bureau of Immigration’s unutilized funds