Probe to go on sans formal complaint
Passengers at the Mactan Cebu International Airport are unperturbed by allegations of bullet planting. (CDN PHOTO/NORMAN MENDOZA)
EVEN without a formal complaint, the allegation of extortion against a member of the Aviation Security Unit (Avseu) at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) will still be investigated.
This comes despite the lack of progress in the investigation that Airport police PO3 Alcetes Roxas asked for money from a passenger who claimed to be a victim of “tanim bala” (bullet planting).
MCIA Avseu chief, Senior Supt. Raul Bargamento said he will ask the three personnel from the Office of Transportation, manning the first X-ray machine at the airport, to issue affidavits detailing the discovery of a bullet and an empty shell allegedly inside the backpack of the passenger, a fireman from Guimaras, who was bound for Iloilo City last March 5.
CUSTODY OF BULLET
It is also not clear as to who has custody of the bullet, that is why Bargamento said it is important to get the statements of the three OTS personnel.
“Their sworn statements are also needed since the alleged incident happened at the first screening area,” MCIA Avseu chief Senior Supt. Raul Bargamento told Cebu Daily News yesterday.
The Avseu has no record in its blotter of anyone being detained for possession of a bullet, Bargamento earlier admitted.
“If any problem is seen by the OTS in the first screening area, they call PO3 Roxas,” Bargamento told Cebu Daily News.
PO3 Roxas was relieved from his post last Friday and is temporarily assigned at the MCIA Avseu office doing clerical and office-based work.
The Avseu wants to see the passenger manifest of Cebu Pacific in order to verify the name and address of the passenger.
The relative of the passenger, a certain Lemuel Gallo posted details of the incident in his Facebook account last Thursday and uploaded a document containing flight details of the passenger as “5J 164 – 05MAR16 – 1405H.”
Gallo has deactivated his Facebook account and could not be reached for comment.
The Avseu is also waiting for the copy of the complete CCTV footage from GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) dated March 5.
NO-TOUCH POLICY
Meanwhile, Bargamento advised travelers against bringing firearms, ammunition and other prohibited items inside the airport.
If contraband items are detected in the X-ray machine at the first screening, the OTS will ask the passenger to open his bag and ask him to retrieve the prohibited item. OTS will not retrieve the contraband themselves to dispel suspicion.
“This is also to eliminate doubts and suspicions on the OTS personnel,” Bargamento said.
The day after the incident was reported, the Avseu and the OTS held a meeting to look into additional security measures at the airport.
These include more CCTV cameras and additional police personnel. Bargamento said for now, there are 30 Avseu personnel assigned at the airport.
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