TRANSPORTATION Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday ordered the dismissal of three employees of the Office of Transportation Security (OTS) for their alleged involvement in a “tanim-bala”scheme at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Dizon announced the decision during a press conference after a viral video posted by 69-year-old Ruth Adel surfaced.
In the video, she recounted a humiliating encounter with NAIA personnel, who accused her of carrying an anting-anting made from a bullet casing.
Dizon said an investigation is still ongoing and administrative charges may follow.
“We will not tolerate any form of abuse. The President has ordered us to ensure swift action on such matters,” Dizon emphasized.
He directed OTS Administrator General Arthur Velasco Bisnar to issue the termination orders immediately.
Adel was traveling to Vietnam with her family on March 6 when she was stopped by NAIA security personnel, allegedly because there was anting-anting inside her luggage.
A viral social media post revealed that no such item was found during the physical inspection of her bag.
Dizon also instructed OTS officials to review airport security protocols and announced plans for a dedicated hotline where passengers can report their experiences.
Meanwhile, Bisnar confirmed an ongoing investigation but acknowledged procedural lapses by airport security personnel.
According to Bisnar, security officers claimed they detected what appeared to be a bullet casing on an x-ray scan, but by the time they attempted further inspection, the passenger had already retrieved the luggage. Instead of conducting the standard physical check at the security screening area, officers pursued the passenger to the boarding gate, an action deemed improper.
The DOTr vows stricter enforcement of security procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.