Senator Grace Poe wants airport and immigration officials involved in the human smuggling incident at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to be held accountable for their crimes.
“It’s nothing personal to the officers involved. We’re also doing this to protect the agency you’re supposed to protect,” Poe said of human smuggling in the NAIA involving foreigners. He said Monday at a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the case.
“If no one here is to blame, if you are not prosecuted, other people will be more audacious to do things you shouldn’t be doing,” she said.
According to Poe, the charter flight departed Manila on February 13 and the passengers were not listed in the manifesto. No police pre-flight inspection was conducted. The immigration officer involved in the incident has already been removed from his position under investigation.
Poe said the actions of the officers involved demonstrated a clear violation of protocol.
“We expect the airport and immigration officials to take decisive and correct action on this matter.
Poe also asked for updates on CCTV installations within the airport grounds, including areas where private charter flights take off.
Airport officials said CCTV outside the area was non-functional because it was designed to run on sunlight.
