Mactan Airport security officials deny ‘tanim bala’ allegations

Terminal 2 of Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) | CDN Digital File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Officials at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) denied allegations of a “tanim-bala” modus operandi following the apprehension of a 47-year-old passenger accused of possessing bullets in her bag.

“For the record, there has been no incident of laglag bala at the Mactan Cebu International Airport from as far back as I can remember (back until 2016 I believe),” said Julius Neri Jr., general manager at Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA).

Neri dismissed speculations that the bullets had been planted in the passenger’s bag.

READ: DOTr chief sacks 3 transport personnel over ‘tanim-bala’ modus

“If a bullet or bullets are found in someone’s bag, it was brought by the passenger intentionally or accidentally.  It was not planted there,” he said.

Last March 27, personnel from the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) intercepted a 47-year-old woman for reportedly carrying bullets inside a pouch stashed in her backpack. 

She was about to board a flight bound for Tacloban City at that time.

Based on a report from GMA-7’s Balitang Bisdak, the pouch containing the bullets apparently contained petty cash and voucher for the company, and that it may have transferred hands before ending up on the HR manager’s possession.

READ: Passenger claims being victimized by ‘tanim-bala’

The post went viral on social media, leading many netizens to suspect the return of the “tanim bala” scheme that were rampant pre-Covid. 

The incident also came just weeks after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) sacked three employees at the Ninot Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in what looked like a tanim-bala attempt on a female passenger, videos of which also went viral on social media.

MCIA is the country’s second busiest gateway, next to NAIA.