By Junex Doronio
A FUMING House Speaker Martin Romualdez has asked the head of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) to resign immediately following the swallowing of a $300 incident involving a female security personnel who allegedly stole the cash from a departing passenger at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last Sept 8.
Romualdez said he would personally block the approval of the proposed OTS budget for 2024 if Undersecretary and OTS Administrator Mao Aplasca refuses to quit.
“Mag-resign ka na. Kung hindi ka magsa-submit ng resignation, ako mismo ang magba-block ng approval ng budget ng OTS,” the leader of the 316-member House of Representatives sternly warned.
The House of Representatives is currently holding the final week of the plenary debates on the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget for 2024.
On Wednesday, September 27, the House is scheduled to tackle in the plenary the proposed budget of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), OTS’ parent agency.
The OTS is the agency responsible for the security of the Philippines’ transportation systems.
On September 8, a female security screening officer was caught on surveillance camera swallowing $300 worth of bills, which she allegedly stole from a shoulder bag of a departing passenger at the NAIA.
“Naka-strike three na ang OTS chief (The OTS has had his third strike). We are already fed up with these reports of stealing and other acts of wrongdoing at the airport, for which OTS officials and their DOTr supervisors are ultimately responsible. A top-to-bottom overhaul is needed,” Romualdez noted.
It was gathered that in February, airport personnel allegedly stole cash from a Thai tourist. In March, another officer was nabbed for stealing a Chinese passenger’s watch.
Romualdez pointed out that it is bad that a tourist would get this kind of treatment, as it would reflect on the whole country. (ai/mnm)