Some travelers at the airport never seem to learn.
Notwithstanding reports of previous arrests and detention for the offense, a new batch of seven Filipino and foreign nationals are now being investigated for illegal possession of ammunition in their luggage or personal belongings in a span of three days from August 12 to 13.
Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal said, despite numerous signs posted at all passenger terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) reminding passengers to refrain from carrying bullets, “the public continue to bring with them these illegal items, hiding them in their check-in luggage or wallet”.
“The airport authorities are appealing once again to the riding public and to all senders and well-wishers to refrain from bringing either live or empty bullet shells into the airports,” Monreal added.
He said that aside from the three male Japanese who were stopped at the Naia Terminal 2 while about to board a connecting flight to Japan on August 13, three more were caught on the same day with the same offense.
A report forwarded to Monreal by Ma. Consuelo Bungag, chief of the airport Public Affairs Office, showed that on August 12, at 7:47 p.m., a caliber 38 bullet was intercepted from Elizabeth Bermido, of Olympia, Makati City, including a well-wisher at the arrival gate 2 of the Naia Terminal 3.
An airport supervisor informed the Airport Police Department regarding the bullet detected inside the wallet of Bermido.
After confiscation and documentation of the bullet, the well-wisher was released and turned over to PO1 Ronald Morata of the police airport security along with the confiscated ammunition.
Justifying her possession of the banned item, Bermido claimed the bullet was her amulet to cast away bad luck, which seems not to have worked to her favor that time when bad luck caught up with her on that day she was arrested, the airport police said.
In the morning of August 13, at Gate 6 security checkpoint, at Naia 3, Jenevie Eroy Angot, a Filipino, of Kabayan San Jose City, and a well-wisher, was caught in possession of two bullets inside her wallet.
At 7:29 a.m. at the final x-ray section also at the Naia Terminal 3, Bencaben Tomacas, 83, of Xavier Heights, Cagayan de Oro City, and a departing passenger of Cebu Pacific flight 5J-383 bound for Cagayan de Oro, was found with one bullet shell in his pocket.
Then, at around 11 a.m., Japanese nationals Ryo Matsuraa, Akira Nishonono and Narise Noda were found with three bullets in their trolley bags as they passed security at the departure area of the Naia Terminal 2. They said they had a target shooting in Guam and took the bullets as souvenirs.
On August 12 at 10:10 a.m. two rounds of caliber .45 bullets were found on departing passenger Rhodora Vargas as she was to board a flight bound for Tagbilaran at the initial screening checkpoint of the Naia Terminal 4.
After investigation, all of the passengers and well-wishers were released from police custody without being charged.
Monreal said the passengers and well-wishers were allowed to leave without the filing of cases.
He said the bullets and ammunition are sometimes used as bargaining leverage by some corrupt airport personnel to exact bribes, which happened frequently during the past airport administration.