Zambo transfer looms for ‘tanim-bala’ airport personnel
Airport and security personnel will be transferred to Zamboanga if another instance of “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) incident happens at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), President Duterte said.
The President has threatened to relieve the erring airport authorities from their posts and assign them to guard the country's southern backdoor from the entry of terrorists.
“'Pag may nagtanim bala diyan, I will hold all responsible aviation police, ‘pag may isa pa diyan, alis kayong lahat, papalitan ko kayo [If there's another bullet-planting incident, I will hold all aviation police responsible. If it happens again, you'll be removed. I will replace you]. Not only the specific policeman, all of you there will be relieved, and so with the NAIA, all of you there will be relieved,” he said during a press conference in Davao City last Friday.
“I’ll place you in Zamboanga. There’s so much entry of terrorists now in the backdoor, dun kayo ma-immigration [go on immigration duty there] see to it that they do not enter the Philippines, that is your job,” he said.
Duterte said if the erring airport and security officers refuse their new assignment, they should just resign from their posts.
“If you are afraid to go there, you resign. If you are afraid to die, hang yourself. Magbayad ako sa inyo tapos ganun ang trabaho ninyo,” he said.
The President’s latest directives are aimed at protecting travelers, especially overseas Filipino workers, from falling victim to corruption anomalies and other forms of abuse.
The country has been previously gripped by the “tanim bala” scam where airport personnel allegedly plant bullets in unsuspecting passengers' luggage. When passengers are apprehended, scammers allegedly demand money in exchange for their release.
The President has sought to end the “tanim-bala” scam by prohibiting airport and customs authorities from opening the bags of passengers. He said there was no need to re-check the bags after passing the airport security machines.