NBI to release probe report on ‘tanim-bala’

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to submit its findings on the alleged “tanim-bala” (bullet planting) scam that has victimized passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)

terminals.

In a text message to reporters, Justice Undersecretary and spokesman Emmanuel Caparas said the NBI report will finally answer whether or not a bullet-planting syndicate does exist in NAIA.

“The report by the NBI task force Talaba will be released on Dec. 9, if not earlier,” he confirmed in a text message over the weekend.

Last November, the Department of Justice (DOJ) formed Task Force “Talaba (Tanim Laglag Bala)” to prove the existence of the syndicate victimizing air passengers, particularly overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and women.

DOJ Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa specifically directed the team “to probe all incidents of the alleged “laglag-bala” scam at the NAIA and to similarly undertake a case build-up on the possible criminal and/or administrative liabilities of all individuals and agencies involved, whether public or private.”

Among the tasks of the team was also to trace reported victims of the alleged scheme and document their cases.

The NBI team, headed by NBI AntiOrganized Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) chief Head Agent Manuel Antonio Eduarte, was initially given until Nov. 18 to complete the fact-finding investigation.

But Eduarte failed to meet the deadline reportedly due to conflicting data from concerned agencies and the unavailability of their officials for interview.

The bureau and other authorities were in full force for security operations during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that the country hosted last month.

The DOJ then granted a request for extension of the deadline and gave the team another 15 days to submit its report.

During their investigation, the NBI reportedly tested airport personnel whether they will be able to detect the bullets inside the luggage of preselected passengers.

The NBI “mules” were able to pass the airport personnel without them detecting the bullets inside their luggage.

Meanwhile, Eduarte said they have already coordinated with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to locate possible victims of the alleged scam who might be afraid to come out in the open.

“We have also coordinated with the Labor department as well as OWWA and the POEA. They are also extending assistance to locate possible victims and they would forward the complaints to us,” he said.

He further said that airport authorities are cooperating with them, including in the gathering of documents and data needed in the probe.