MANILA, Philippines – The Office of Transportation Security (OTS) has been directed to “immediately file” charges against the security screening personnel who stole money from passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1.

This came after authorities confirmed the incident involving a female OTS personnel swallowing $300 worth of bills that she reportedly took from the wallet of a departing passenger. 

The female security screening officer took the passenger’s shoulder bag for a manual inspection while the passenger was passing through an X-ray scanner, according to the Manila Bulletin. CCTV footage from September 8 then showed the screening officer turning away from the passenger while tucking something in her waist area.

After this, the officer operating the X-ray machine was seen handing the screening officer a bottle of water. The female officer then proceeded to try to swallow the bills, even as her supervisor “was seemingly communicating with her as the latter was obviously almost choking in her effort to swallow the dollar bills while using her hanky to cover her mouth,” a report by airport authorities said.

The report concluded that the officer had “intent to gain” the stolen money. It also suggested the X-ray officer and their supervisor were in connivance with the female officer.

After the investigation, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista authorized slapping the guilty personnel with the “maximum penalty” to show the department’s push “to rid NAIA as well as other attached agencies of scalawags.” 

He also asked DOTr Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Reinier Yebra to help in filing complaints against those who connived with the female screening officer.

“The OTS, under the stewardship of the DOTr, will ensure that administrative case will be filed against erring personnel. In fact, the administrative case is now with the OTS Legal Service for further investigation,” an OTS representative told Rappler.

Meanwhile, the OTS said it was also coordinating with the Philippine National Police’s Aviation Security Group to assist the passenger, should he elect to file a criminal case against the security personnel. It is unclear, however, whether anyone will be charged with theft since the passenger previously expressed unwillingness to file a criminal case, according to a report by the Manila Bulletin. 

This is now the third highly publicized theft by airport security personnel at NAIA in 2023 – a bad look as the government tries to court investors to rehabilitate the ailing international gateway. Earlier this year, airport security personnel were found stealing money from a Thai tourist. Five days later, another NAIA screening officer was arrested for stealing a Chinese passenger’s watch. – Rappler.com