Metro Manila, Philippines – There is no evidence of a deliberate tampering of passports in airports, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said, following reports of the alleged scheme.
“Wala pa kaming nakikitang proof na may modus. Pero siyempre hindi tayo puwede maging lax, kailangan iimbestigahan natin nang mabuti,” Dizon said in an interview on Wednesday, April 30, noting that the Department of Transportation is investigating all incidents of the so-called “punit passport” scheme.
[Translation: We haven’t seen any proof of a scheme yet. But of course, we can’t be lax, we need to investigate thoroughly.]
This followed a viral case where a passenger was denied boarding a flight bound for Bali, Indonesia due to a damaged passport. Dizon said airport authorities from Indonesia themselves confirmed they would have not accepted the passport upon the passenger’s arrival.
“Ipinagbabawal na rin ang security, ang lahat ng OTS, ipinagbawal na hawakan nila ang passports ng ating mga kababayan. In fact, ipinatanggal na rin natin yung pag-check pagpasok ng airport ng passport at ticket. So sa ngayon wala na mag-check magpapasok ng NAIA at ibang airport ng mga passport at ticket,” he said.
[Translation: Security personnel, including all OTS (Office for Transportation Security) staff, are now prohibited from handling the passports of our fellow citizens. In fact, we have also removed the requirement to check passports and tickets upon entering the airport. So now, no one will be checking passports and tickets at the entrance of Ninoy Aquino International Airport or other airports.]
In a social media advisory, the New Naia Infra. Corp., which operates NAIA, said “passengers will simply be asked to show their valid ID or travel document by holding it up themselves.”
Dizon said he already asked airlines and immigration officials to make sure the scheme won’t happen.
“Pinagsabihan natin ang mga airlines na kahit sila ay obligado na tingnan at i-check ang ating passports dahil iyon ang rule sa international aviation…Eh kapag merong reports na dinamage o may ginawang hindi tama ang ating airline representatives, nakapabigat na parusa iyan sa mga airline at doon sa mga taong humahawak sa mga passport,” he said.
[Translation: We have informed the airlines that although they are obligated to check and inspect our passports because that is the rule in international aviation…However, if there are reports that damage was done or something improper was done by our airline representatives, there will be severe penalties for the airlines and for the people handling the passports.]
NewsWatch Plus correspondent Lance Mejico contributed to this report
