MIAA warn service providers: Weed out scalawags or else

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) warned its service providers that their accreditation to operate would be revoked if they did not take steps to crack down on scalawags among their ranks.

Ed Monreal, MIAA general manager, said in a meeting last week that he expected the “full cooperation” of ground handlers and service providers in putting forward “policies and procedures to clean [up] your ranks so we can achieve order in our airport.”

“[The] MIAA shall exercise its authority under existing laws over those who will not cooperate. This could mean the revocation of your privilege to operate in Naia (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) or termination of your accreditation with us,” he added.

Among the policies Monreal said he wanted implemented immediately at the country’s main airport was the submission to them of monthly reports of pilferage, the intensified guarding of baggage on departure and arrival, the frisking of all ramp personnel, as well as strict adherence to their no pockets/no jewelry/no watch rule at the ramp.

He also ordered ground handlers and security providers at Naia to conduct thorough background checks on their workers, particularly after he found out that this was not being practiced.

The main operators at Naia are Miascor, Dnata and SkyLog.

On Monday, the MIAA received a report from Turkish Airline that the jewelry box of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s wife, Hulya, had been stolen.

The loss was discovered after the couple left the country last Friday following the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Authorities later recovered the jewelry from Miascor employees Yves Ronald Baguion, Wilson Mataganas, Ricardo Alfaro and John Andrews Racoma.