Airport security claim on find raises doubts
SENATOR ALAN Peter Cayetano has announced he is running for Vice President, and wants Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to be his running mate.
Senator Bongbong Marcos also wants Duterte for his running mate.
How ironic that Cayetano and Marcos want to run under the banner of Duterte, who has expressed disinterest in the highest position of the land.
On the other hand, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Vice President Jojo Binay, who are both running for President, are still looking for their respective vice presidential candidates.
That speaks volumes about Duterte’s chances of winning should he finally decide to run.
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A 20-year-old American missionary was recently arrested, jailed for five days and released only after posting a P40,000 bail for having a single .22-cal. bullet in his luggage.
Lane Michael White from Florida, was arrested while he was with his father, an American pastor, and Filipino stepmother at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) 4 domestic terminal.
White and his parents came from the United States and were supposed to board a plane for Coron, Palawan province, for a vacation.
As to how the .22-cal. bullet ended up in his luggage, White had a story.
When he passed through the X-ray scanning machine, airport security personnel Maria Elma
Cena and Marvin Garcia told him to stand aside while his suitcase was being checked.
White said Cena and Garcia, employees of the Office of Transport Security of the Department of Transportation and Communications inspected the suitcase.
The American missionary claimed he saw one of the two put his hand inside the pocket of his suitcase after which it was again made to go under the X-ray scanner.
White was then told he had a .22-cal. bullet in his suitcase. According to him, the two demanded P30,000 for his release, but he refused and so he was arrested.
White’s story appears to be credible.
Bullet not planted says Naia exec but US man says they can’t lie to God
In the first place, why would he be carrying a .22-cal. bullet in his suitcase?
What use would he have for the bullet as a tourist and missionary?
If he came from the United States, airport personnel there are very strict and efficient in searching for items that could be used for hijacking a plane.
Cena and Garcia would not have pulled off that caper, if they indeed were responsible, if they were not part of a group victimizing passengers.
The syndicate could have as members airport policemen and cops of the Philippine National Police assigned at the domestic terminal.
All of them should be relieved of their duties and investigated, and administrative and criminal cases should be filed against them if they are found guilty.
The Pasay City prosecutor who conducted inquest proceedings against White and who filed the case in court should also be investigated for lacking in common sense and discernment.
Oh well, what do you expect of some government prosecutors who are mostly third-rate lawyers.
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The government should not take that “planting” incident at the domestic terminal lightly, if proven to be true.
Our reputation as a tourist-friendly country is at stake.
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