The Office for Transport Security (OTS) said recent incidents of ammunition confiscations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were isolated cases and should not cause undue alarm.
OTS administrator Crizaldo Nieves nonetheless emphasized the importance of understanding that even small quantities of ammunition could lead to delays and unnecessary complications.
“It’s better not to take the risk, as passengers caught carrying live rounds of ammunition, regardless of the quantity, will face appropriate legal consequences,” Nieves said.
The agency stated it will intensify efforts to prevent the bringing of bullets into airports nationwide.
Nieves said airport security measures will continue to include routine checks for all passengers.
Any illegal items, including ammunition, will be confiscated, and those found in possession of such items may face prosecution.
He emphasized that carrying ammunition in airports not only causes delays to scheduled flights, but also poses potential legal repercussions.
OTS screening officers Charline Advincula and Alvin Jacob Mendoza recently caught a passenger in possession of an empty bullet at NAIA Terminal 1.
The passenger, en route to Dubai via a Philippine Airlines flight, was undergoing the usual x-ray screening when the OTS men detected a suspected prohibited item on the monitor.
OTS officers discovered an empty bullet shell, a prohibited item which the passenger surrendered and was turned over to the Police-Aviation Security Group for proper disposition.
The authorities have also intercepted passengers who brought an airsoft gun and seven empty magazines at NAIA terminals 2 and 4.
