Bullet Planting Modus Operandi

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/09/24/15/laglag-bala-victimizing-passengers-naia

------------------

MANILA - A first time tourist was detained for five days by airport police at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for allegedly concealing a bullet in his checked-in baggage.

Lane Michael White, 20, was travelling to Palawan with his father and stepmother when they were stopped at the X-ray scanner area of NAIA Terminal 4.

White said a security guard pulled out a .22 caliber bullet from the pocket of his luggage after repeatedly scanning it on the X-ray machine.

He denied that the bullet belonged to him. He told the security personnel he was not aware how it got inside the luggage.

During their conversation, White alleged that a male security personnel told him that his problem will be settled for P30,000.

White said he refused to settle with the NAIA personnel and instead insisted that he is innocent.

''God endured the pain when he was being whipped at the cross and if I need to be detained just to prove my innocence so be it," said White, who belongs to a missionary group.

White is the second person to make such allegations against airport personnel.

Last week, two bullets were mysteriously found at the luggage of a balikbayan, according to a post on Facebook which has been shared for nearly 70,000 times already.

The wheelchair-bound balikbayan said she paid P500 to the airport security personnel to allow her to depart the country.

The Office of the Transport Security, the agency that handles airport X-ray scanner operators, ordered the suspension of the involved personnel pending investigation into the complaint.

The OTS has yet to issue a statement on White's complaint.

White said he already hired a lawyer to answer the charges against him. He is contemplating on pressing civil and criminal charges against the people who attempted to extort money from him.

Airport sources disclosed that the so-called ''Laglag Bala'' gang was already disbanded by previous airport managements.

---------------------

Be careful, airport officials are getting desperate for a big Christmas bonus.

If ever this happens to you and you're innocent:

1. Don't open the baggage yourself! No matter how hard they insist for it! Also, don't let anyone touch your baggage too. Act like this is a car incident. Everyone should stay put!
2. Demand to see the airport police.
3. Call a lawyer and your relatives as soon as you can.
4. When your lawyer and relatives have finally arrived, let the airport official/s who discovered the bullet to pick the bullet for you. Why? For fingerprints of course. If you're really innocent (or not using gloves) the bullets should be free of trace of your fingerprints.
5. Now challenge the officer/s for fingerprint sampling and court case. You now have them in your palm. Milk them for money and freebies for all their worth.

Very timely reminder.

I see that a Japanese tourist was detained for having two bullets in his luggage, a couple of days ago.

The scam is still in operation.

Tell Kaye to be careful about it and just stay calm if ever it happens to her. Airport officers are getting drastic.

I very much look forward to it though. They won't know what hit them. Hahahhaa...

And I'll have extra allowance for my trip.

I'll be passing the warning on. But I pity the scammer who tries it on with her - her taekwondo is not as good as she thinks it is - though she did break three fingers of a man who tried to grope her at a party - but her sarcasm is withering!


I just read a funny account on Facebook by a lady who was pulled over in T3 a couple of years ago for having a bullet in her bag - she had put it there - it was on a key chain given her by an ex boyfriend - a good laugh all round and she was allowed to go!

More OFW's arrested at NAIA for bullets in bag

http://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/10/28/1515625/japanese-ofw-arrested-naia-bullets-bag

Notice also how some staff insist on collecting terminal fees from OFWs, who are exempted under the law.

One suspects this is the tip of an iceberg; these reported cases make the news because the victims did not pay up - I suspect that most do. Knightstrike's advice is spot on - TOUCH NOTHING and demand that the Police open the bag after fingerprinting the zipper, then fingerprint the bullet.

I've seen that news 3 weeks ago.They'll take whatever cash in your hand coz they know you'd rather give it to them than missing your flight

Does anyone know if this goes on in all the terminals?

It looks like the victim are all those who's going out of the country as I said they don't want you to miss your flight as it's expensive than 400 pesos.They're not gonna do it if you're going into the Philippines coz what if the person is frugal like me? sorry mate I only got 10 peso bill,here make sure you give me the 5 pesos back I hope it's not gonna happen to me

I like that answer!

Thanks! I got a medal wohoo!

MANILA – Airport security screening personnel are allegedly employing ''spotters'' to help them find the ''perfect'' passenger to victimize with their so-called ''tanim-bala'' scheme, a reliable source told ABS-CBN News.

The source disclosed to airport reporters that the nefarious activities of the syndicate have gone unabated for the past 20 years, and even the dilapidated closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at the four airport terminals cannot detect how bullets end up in the luggage of their victims.

''Sa tagal po nila sa trabahong ito, alam nila kung saan naka-pwesto ang mga CCTV ng airport at alam nila kung alin ang mga sirang CCTV cameras,'' said an airport source who spoke to ABS-CBN News on condition of anonymity.

It was also disclosed that the conspirators or spotters normally prey on passengers who have a connecting flight to international or domestic destinations.

''Minsan po, sa address pa lang na nakalagay sa balikbayan box or luggage tukoy na nila ang destinasyon at tiyak nila na dadaan at dadaan muli ang pasahero sa security check ng airport,'' the source added.

The alleged spotters, according to the source, usually distract passengers before they open the latter's baggage and swiftly plant the bullet.

20 VICTIMS A DAY?

The source said, before the tanim-bala modus operandi was exposed and reported by the media, the group normally victimized more than 20 passengers a day, raking hundreds of thousands of pesos from passengers who do not want to be hassled.

''Dati po mahina ang 20 pasaherong biktima. Nang lumabas na po sa media, maingat na po sila kung sino ang tutuluyan at kung sino ang kokotongan,'' the source said.

The source also disclosed that the tanim-bala modus operandi is already an open-secret activity of some unscrupulous airport security screeners, who get 60 percent of the bribes. The remaining 40 percent go to the alleged spotters.

The source said spotters normally mix themselves with the crowd at the departure or arrival area and are quite familiar in profiling passengers and executing the modus operandi.

''Segundo lang ang kailangan nila, nailalaglag na po yung bala na hindi na namamalayan ng pasahero, kaya nagugulat ang pasahero kung bakit may nakikitang bala sa bagahe nila,'' the source said.

LIFESTYLE CHECK

The source added that by simply conducting a lifestyle check on all security screeners, it can be determined who among them are involved in illegal activities.

''Malilit lang po ang suweldo ng mga security screeners kaya kung talagang iimbestigahan, makikita nila kung bakit naglalakihan ang mga bahay, magagarang sasakyan, nasa pribadong eskuwelahan ang mga anak, nakaka-biyahe sa ibang bansa at marami ay may ekstrang asawa pa,'' the source disclosed.

The source is a spouse of a deceased airport security screener who was involved in the tanim-bala modus operandi.

Her intention in exposing the modus is to help passengers avoid being victimized by the alleged syndicate.

''Hindi po sila titigil dahil kailangan nila tustusan ang luho ng kanilang pamumuhay kaya dapat balaan natin ang publiko.''

OUTRAGE GROWING

The scam was first exposed in the media in September, when a Facebook post of a balikbayan who claimed to have been victimized by the tanim-bala scheme went viral.

The wheelchair-bound balikbayan said she paid P500 to the airport security personnel to allow her to depart the country.

An American tourist was also detained after a bullet was found in the pocket of his luggage. He also claimed being victimized by the same scheme.

Public rage against the alleged modus operandi was reignited when an ABS-CBN News exclusive report revealed that a long-time Hong Kong overseas Filipino worker was arrested at the NAIA after a bullet was found in her bag.

With the issue getting bigger, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya ordered an investigation into the alleged scam. The Office for Transportation Security, which handles airport security screeners, is under the DOTC.

An online petition urging presidential aspirants Senators Grace Poe and Miriam Defensor Santiago to investigate the so-called ''tanim-bala'' scheme has gained the support of thousands of Filipinos, with the petitioners expecting more signatures.

'AVOID BEING A VICTIM'

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) earlier issued tips to air transport passengers on how to avoid falling prey to those who extort money using this scheme.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said passengers are advised to strictly monitor all their luggage and never allow strangers to handle them.

Apolonio said all zippers, pouches, and pockets of their luggage must be closed, locked and sealed so that if the seal gets broken, a passenger will immediately notice that his bag was opened without his permission.

When passing through airport security X-ray and walk-thru metal detectors, CAAP said passengers should never lose sight of their respective luggage. They should immediately retrieve their bags as they exit the X-ray machine.

Apolonio added that passengers should also refrain from accepting any luggage or items from strangers.





http://www.abs-cbnne...anim-bala-modus

A friend on Facebook shared these to me



It says, "I love my Family. I am not stupid. My baggage doesn't have any bullets".

is it spreading?

http://www.rappler.com/nation/111248-bullets-luggage-davao-airport

The Philippine Government should be ashamed of themselves letting it come to this, they should have nipped this in the bud as soon as stories of this bullet fiasco appeared.

I'm sure they're not too pleased with the bad publicity and should get it sorted.

Mate, you're talking about the PH government here.

Have you heard of the Mamasapano Massacre? Was the PH government ashamed of all that?

To them, this is nothing but simple theft.

The scam is old. But it was only directed towards tourists with transit flights before.

Now it has gone wide-spread, targeting both the OFW and tourists alike, whether it be domestic or international.

Personally I think this may be politically-motivated, because it's all-over the country.
And it's too big of an operation for the likes of a simple syndicate.

I think the mastermind behind this is doing it for campaign funds for the upcoming PH elections. Must be a Senator at least.

I'm told that this was a deliberate attempt to discredit Duterte now that he is a Presidential candidate. The Manila-bound passenger was counting on security being somewhat lax at Davao airport and once checked-in, he'd produce the bullets witnessed by a photographer. Hopefully it will several years before he sees Quezon City again.