‘Tanim-bala’ video goes viral on social media
A video showing two airport security personnel opening and emptying an American visitor’s luggage and finally showing a .22-caliber bullet as allegedly screened by the X-ray machine in the bag’s outside pocket has gone viral on social media, raising the public outcry against the controversial “tanim-bala” modus in the country’s airport terminal.
In a video which was submitted to the Legal Advocates for Workers Interest (LAWIN) by Eloisa Zoleta, stepmother of the purported “tanimbala” victim Lane Michael White, two airport security personnel identified as Marvin Garcia and Maria Elma Cena, can be seen emptying White’s luggage, which was then brought back to the X-ray scanner. Security
then called the attention of the family, pointing to the x-ray image that shows the bullet.
White was detained for six days after a .22-caliber bullet was seen in the outside pocket of his luggage on September 17. He is on temporary release after posting a bail of 40,000.
White, who was traveling to Coron, Palawan with Zoleta, was stopped by airport security and brought to the Office of the Transport Security (OTS). The personnel allegedly asked for 30,000 from White, but he refused. White is expected to use the video as evidence in their motion to dismiss the charge of illegal possession of ammunition filed against him.
LAWIN representative Atty. Ernesto Arellano said White is set to file a case against the airport security personnel.
Vietnamese yields bullet On Saturday night, a Vietnamese woman was detained at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 after a bullet was detected by airport police.
In a report aired by GMA News TV’s “Balitanghali” yesterday, the Vietnamese was identified by the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-AvSeGroup) as My Nguyen, 30.
It was learned that the Vietnamese was just escorting a relative at the NAIA Terminal 3 when a bullet for a .357-caliber gun was detected by the X-ray scanner in her shoulder bag.
Nguyen was subject to inquest proceedings before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday, during which she admitted bringing the bullet as a “lucky charm,” said Prosecutor Michael Vito Cruz.
The foreigner said the bullet was given to her by one of her customers in her ready-to-wear (RTW) clothing business. She is now facing a case of violating Republic Act 10591 of the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.
Airport security Meanwhile, despite the growing clamor to overhaul airport personnel, there will be no changes in the deployment of policemen at the NAIA.
Instead, policemen under the AvSeGroup were tasked to fully cooperate with the changes that will be
implemented by the national government at the soonest possible time, according to Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
An inter-agency group at the NAIA composed of representatives from various agencies – the PNP, the Department of Justice, Department of Transportation and Communication and agencies concerning Overseas Filipino Workers and foreign tourists – has been tasked to handle such tanim-bala cases.
“The instruction to our Aviation Security Group (AvSeGroup) is to fully cooperate in whatever policies or protocols that would be implemented both to protect passengers and expedite the legal process for those who would really yield bullets,” Mayor said.
Mayor said the PNP leadership
is confident that the new changes that would be implemented by the inter-agency group would finally put a closure on the controversies created by the tanim-bala or “laglag-bala” extortion racket.
“I believe this issue is already being investigated so leave it to the agency conducting the investigation to ferret out the truth,” said Mayor.
Help from DOLE
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz also assured overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who will lose their jobs after allegedly becoming victims of the “tanim bala” scam that will get employment assistance from the government.
Baldoz made the assurance after Gloria Ortinez, an Filipino household service worker, said she now fears she will now be replaced by her employer in Hong Kong.
Ortinez was detained by airport authorities last month after a bullet was found in her luggage. She denied she owned the illegal ammo and claimed the bullet was planted in her things without her knowledge,
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now investigating the possible syndicate, which may be involved in Ortinez’s case,
As for Ortinez’s employment woes, Baldoz disclosed it is now being addressed by the newly formed DOLE inter-agency task force that she created.
The task force is headed by Undersecretary Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III and is comprised by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and other departments within DOLE’’s main office.
One of its other responsibilities, Baldoz said, is to ensure “tanim bala” victims will be able to find a new work in case their existing job abroad is forfeited. (With a report from Ariel Fernandez)