A CCTV in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) captured a worrying event wherein a screener, or the person responsible in operating the screening machine, was caught opening the bag of a foreign national.
This act is highly prohibited. Instead, the passenger should be the one to open their belongings.
On March 28, it is seen that a Japanese passenger went across NAIA Terminal 3.
It can be seen in the CCTV footage that the screener is talking to the Japanese passenger.
The bag of the Japanese national was instantly brought to the side table by the screener. He opened the bag afterwards.
According to the protocol, screeners are highly prohibited to touch the bags of passengers.
As stated by Senior Supt. Napoleon Cuaton of OTS, in case something suspicious was found inside the luggage of the passenger while it passes through the screener, they will tell the passenger to personally open their bags for inspection.
It was in the final screening when the Japanese national found out that he lost 1,700 Australian dollars (P68,000) that was previously inside his wallet.
The Japanese went back to the initial screening to complain and did not went to his flight.
The airport police was immediately alerted and 2 screeners were caught over alleged theft. They are Stephen Bartolo and Demie James Timtim.
300 Australian dollars were also taken from their possession.
According to Senior Inspector NemencioBawalan of the airport police intelligence investigation division, Bartolo admitted to stealing the money but he allegedly gave it to his colleagues.
In the follow-up operation, some of the money was found inside the jacket of the colleague.
The airport police thinks that there are still a lot of connivance in the theft.
The two screeners are already in police custody as of the moment.
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