Augosto James H Paraiso

10-B

Naia syndicate confirmed

An extortion syndicate preying mainly on the elderly and overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) and involving personnel from various state agencies, not only plants bullets
in bags of airline passengers but also harasses them by questioning their travel
papers, the Inquirer has learned.
Initial findings by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation reveal that some
porters identify potential victims of the tanim-bala (bullet-planting) scam and
accomplices in the security and immigration services take over from them inside
the four terminals of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
The activities of the syndicate came to light last month when Gloria Ortinez, 56, a
domestic helper in Hong Kong for 26 years, was arrested, detained and charged
with carrying bullets in her luggage, despite her tearful denials. Her plight was
caught by TV news cameras and went viral on social media.
Amid widespread outrage and concern among domestic and international travelers,
the NBI began its investigation on orders of Justice Secretary
Alfredo Benjamin Caguiao to act with dispatch and report within 15 days, the
Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Narrating the activities of the extortion ring, the NBI source, who spoke to the
Inquirer on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak to the media, said:
Each unit has an assigned task and roles, its members are recruited by longtime
workers in the four airport terminals.
Apart from the now very known bullet-planting extortion, the racket also covers
supposed questionable documents and purpose of travel of the passenger, he said.
The syndicate is composed of various airport workers such as immigration
personnel, airport police, X-ray scanners, baggage inspectors and porters, the
source said.
Usual targets
The usual targets are OFWs who are easily duped and the elderly who easily get
nervous, he said. The group had a profile of their victims who they see as gullible
and could easily be bullied.
The source explained that in the case of tanim-bala, X-ray scanners and baggage
inspectors under the Department of Transportation and Communications-Office for
Transportation Security (DOTC-OTS) have no police powers and are not authorized
by law to make an arrest and need the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security
Group (PNP-Avsegroup) to step in, make the arrest and file the appropriate charges.

OTS personnel or X-ray scanners as well as baggage inspectors cannot make an

arrest, he said. An airport police should be summoned to make a believable
scam.
While the role of the porter is to spot a target and sometimes a planter of
supposed evidence whichever is convenient for possible airport violations, the
source said.
NBI agents are looking at records as far as several years ago to determine and
identify members of the syndicate.
They are now cross-referencing the incident report and airport workers on duty and
even those who are in the immediate vicinity of the area and make them explain
their presence, the source said.
100 bullets seized
The source said that based on the records furnished by airport officials, close to 100
rounds of ammunitions of various calibers had been seized by OTS personnel since
January of this year.
The source added that seized evidence like bullets and slugs would be subjected to
forensic tests, including fingerprints to determine its origin.
Stories of victims of harassment of departing passengers, mostly unaccompanied,
center on their alleged lack of proof of sufficient reason to travel.
They will ask for documents, such as letters of invitations, just to delay the
passenger and impress on the unsuspecting victim that she or he had been profiled.
Most of the victims were seafarers who usually carry money and almost always
have various destinations. They will ask for a visa despite the explanation of some
seafarers that visa will be issued by their employer in the next destination, the
source said.
According to the source, sometimes the intention was simply just to delay the
passenger, especially those who were rushing to board their flights.
These airport workers will accept anything from the harassed passengers who
sometimes were even grateful to be allowed to leave, the source said.
NBI task force
The justice department spokesperson, Emmanuel Caparas, told reporters
Wednesday that an NBI special task force had been formed to look into the airport
scams.
The task force will undertake an investigation on all incidents of the tanim-bala
scam at

Naia to similarly undertake a case buildup on the possible criminal and/or

administrative liabilities of all individuals and agencies involved, whether public or
private, according to a department order that Caguioa signed on Monday and
released Wednesday.
The NBI agents assigned to the task force are Manuel Antonio Eduarte, chief;
Manuel Fayre Jr., executive officer; Dennis Asistio, team leader; Joselito Guillen,
assistant team leader; and Aubren Cosidon, Rodelio Velez and Marvin Villena,
members.
Caguioa ordered the task force to coordinate with all relevant government
agencies to accomplish their job.
At least two alleged victims of tanim-bala have sought the help of the NBI: American
missionary Lane Michael White and Maria Paz Triaz.
Lane, who was detained after arriving from the United States, was charged with
illegal possession of ammunition but was freed on bail. Triaz was allowed to leave
for Singapore after signing a waiver stating that the bullet found in her bag was an
amulet. - Jerome Aning
Reaction:
Whether this modus is operated by a syndicate or someone else, this must STOP as
this is causing embarrassment not only to this greedy government officials and
airport personnel but the whole country itself, our beloved country - the
Philippines.Concerned agencies such as the PNP and NBI, even AFP, need to act
swiftly on it to control the damage it caused to our country and its people. It was not
long time ago that NAIA was branded as one of the worst airport in the region, if not
in the world, and this incident is not helping to make the image of NAIA better.All
airport officials and personnel should submit themselves to the investigation to
clear their names and offices for any wrong doing other than negating the existence
of this modus.The PNP Aviation Security Group should have submitted all the
ammunition confiscated to PNP/NBI Crime Laboratory for forensic analysis such as
finger printing or other test that will proved and can be used against those
individual who allegedly owns it. Its just a simple procedure if they want to convict
those people but its been a while now and nothing is heard or read from the news
about which is causing more suspicion on the intent of PNP Aviation Security Group
personnel as well. I hope the PNP Chief will look into this matter personally. All we
know is that most of the victims denied that they own the ammunition or bullet
found on their bags or luggage.While investigation is ongoing, I hope that all NAIA
airport and security personnel will be replaced by someone else either from the
Philippine Air Force, AFP or a private entity to make sure that all of them are
thoroughly been interviewed and investigated. Also, NO PAY while not performing
their duties but this might get them greedy when they come back for work. Need to
make up for the lost time and money?