GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
STATISTICS are no match for lost opportunities and ruined lives, several senators said Tuesday as they deplored President Aquino’s description of the “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) scam as sensationalized.
Citing statistics, Mr. Aquino said the bullet incidents had been sensationalized, as there was only a small percentage—1,200 cases reported—out of the 34 million people who passed through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
In recent weeks, several passengers had complained about airport security officials who allegedly found bullets in their luggage and had demanded money in exchange for being allowed to board their flight instead of being hauled to court for violating the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Most of the passengers claimed that the bullets had been planted in their luggage by the security personnel themselves.
“This is not about statistics; this is about an entire life, career or future of individual(s) and their families ruined by an extortion scheme. One incident of tanim-bala is one incident too many,” Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a statement, citing the case of Gloria Ortinez, an overseas Filipino worker who almost lost her job after being detained for allegedly carrying a bullet.
Sen. Cynthia Villar also described the issue as serious, even if the actual number of cases were few.
“The innocent could lose their jobs abroad,” Villar said, adding that unlike Ortinez, many more victims might have decided to keep quiet about the scam.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said the bullet-planting incidents were not sensationalized, but “were bungled by officials of the airport and the DOTC [Department of Transportation and Communications].”
He said the issue would not have grown bigger had officials addressed the situation at once.
Marcos said it was unfortunate that instead of getting to the bottom of the issue, the chief executive defended airport authorities and opted to use statistics to dismiss complaints about a possible extortion scheme at Naia.
“Reports affirm that many victims of tanim-bala opted to just pay up instead of reporting (the incident) to the authorities to avoid inconvenience,” he said.
The senator said President Aquino’s statement might cast doubt on the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation, which has an ongoing probe on the issue.
“When the President doubts an organized tanim-bala extortion scheme exists, that would certainly put a cloud of doubt on whatever findings the NBI will come up with later,” Marcos said.