LOOK BACK: The 2015 ‘tanim-bala’ issue at NAIA

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Almost a decade later, there are fears that the modus operandi is back after an incident with a 69-year-old passenger on March 6

Tanim-bala or laglag-bala (bullet planting) was a scheme in 2015 allegedly by airport personnel who surreptitiously placed bullets inside the luggages unsuspecting passengers to extort money from them via a false arrest. Almost a decade later, there are fears that the modus operandi has resurfaced after an incident involving a 69-year-old passenger on March 6.

Passengers who had to travel through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) got so worried that they started wrapping their luggage with plastic. NAIA itself had wrapping services that cost P160 per bag. (READ: Isang bala ka lang: Netizens decry ‘laglag-bala’ incident)

For some, empty bullet casings are “anting-antings” or lucky charms or amulets. However, Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act penalizes the illegal possession of ammunition.

The scheme

Reports of the scheme took place

It was around the end of 2015 when reports emerged of the scheme taking place at the NAIA, targeting mostly overseas Filipino workers, foreign nationals, and senior citizens. A Filipino balikbayan was charged P500 by two airport staff who found bullets in her baggage, while an American missionary said airport staff attempted to extort P30,000 from him.

Among the victims of the scheme was Josie Marie Paz Trias. She was on her way to Singapore with her family on October 27, 2015 to accompany her grandmother, who was scheduled for medical tests at the Singapore General Hospital.

While they were at the security screening area, they were told that her uncle’s bag was too heavy and they had to transfer some items. Trias said this was when she lost sight of her bag.

She brought with her a backpack that had its main pocket padlocked. Its smaller, outer pocket was not — and this is where airport personnel allegedly found a bullet.

Trias was approached by a senior member of the staff to “fix” the situation, but she told airport officials that she was innocent. When she was made to sign a logbook, Trias noted that a report had already been ready for her and identified the bullet as an amulet.

Who was behind the scheme?

From January to November 2015, there were 30 incidents of airport security flagging passengers for allegedly having bullets with them.

Authorities, specifically the Aviation Security Group (AvSecGroup) of the Philippine National Police, insisted that airport police had nothing to do with the scheme.

The AvSecGroup attributed the rising number of cases to having well-trained staff.

Meanwhile, the Office for Transportation Security of the Department of Transportation had 40 of its staff investigated following complaints from passengers.

It is the OTS that is in charge of airport security, but the AvSecGroup steps in for law enforcement.

The Aquino administration got flak over the issue after Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. downplayed concerns, saying that there were only few victims of the scam.

President Benigno Aquino III also said that the issue was “sensationalized.”

New security initiatives

The National Bureau of Investigation was ordered to create a special task force to conduct “a thorough, in-depth, and comprehensive investigation and case build-up” on the alleged scam. Seven operatives from the Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division made up the task force.

By November, airport and security officials started implementing new rules amid fears of the tanim-bala scheme.

Among the new initiatives included:

• Airport security are hands off: When authorities find a suspicious item during the x-ray of an individual’s bag, the image of the x-ray is shown to the owner. The owner will then be the one to remove and bring out the items within the bag.
• More security cameras: Authorities have installed new CCTV cameras to deter those who have plans of abusing unknowing passengers.
• Information campaign: More signages of prohibited items were installed. Authorities pointed out that some passengers simply do not know that ammunition is not allowed within the airport.

– Rappler.com