At least 10 more members of the National Police-Aviation Security Group in Metro Manila were relieved over the alleged bullet-planting extortion scheme victimizing passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport while the Department of Justice designated prosecutors at Naia to conduct “instant inquests” on the scheme.
Among those relieved were Avsegroup-NCR chief investigator Eugene Juaneza, Chief Insp. Adriano Junio, and Senior Police Officers Romy Navarro and Rolando Clarin.
Eight other members of the Avsegroup assigned to the Naia Terminal 3 were also relieved and placed under investigation.
Avsegroup spokesman Vicente Castor said those relieved were transferred temporarily to their main headquarters pending the investigation initiated by the Department of Justice.
“This is a command decision in support of the ongoing investigation to determine the truth behind this,” he said.
Avsegroup-Metro Manila chief Senior Supt. Ricardo Layug Jr. was also relieved last week amid the controversy. He was replaced by former Las Pinas City police commander Senior Supt. Adolfo Samala.
Avsegroup director Chief Supt. Pablo Francis Balagtas did not explain why Layug has been replaced but he said the move was just part of the “rotation process” of the Philippine National Police under the leadership of its director Ricardo Marquez.
He also clarified that Layug’s relief didn’t necessarily mean he was involved in the alleged extortion and other irregularities happening in the airports.
Last month, two other Avsegroup personnel—Careen De Padua and Rommel Ballesteros—were relieved from their post after the bullet in the investigation report on the case of an overseas Filipino worker did not match the one presented before the Pasay City prosecutors office.
The two policemen handled the case of 56-year-old Gloria Ortinez, who was placed under airport police custody, for allegedly bringing a bullet at the airport. Ortinez was about to take a connecting flight from Laoag Airport to Hong Kong on Oct. 25 when she was apprehended.
Lawmakers and some victims alleged there is a syndicate operating at Naia terminals victimizing passengers by “planting” bullets in their luggage
Personnel from the Office for Transportation Security were also suspected of involvement in the scheme.
OTS chief Rolando Recomono admitted that at least 65 personnel were already dismissed since 2012 but he clarified that they acted on their own and were not part of a syndicate.
Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Claro Arellano deployed 12 prosecutors to man the NAIA terminals from Tuesday to Friday, with three of them assigned per day on an eight-hour duty.
Arellano stressed that the prosecutors would not only handle cases involving bullet possession but also other violations of penal laws and airport policies.
DOJ Undersecretary Emmanuel Caparas said the fiscals’ presence was meant to shorten the time of going to the fiscal, filing of complaint and determining whether or not a case should be filed, to avoid incidents where passengers were not allowed to take their flight just because of these incidents.” With Rey Requejo