The Office for Transportation Security has continued cleaning its ranks of unscrupulous employees by regular inspection, monitor, and oversee security screening operations for immediate detection of illegal activities.
An Office for Transportation Security (OTS) screener was nabbed for allegedly stealing the watch of a foreign passenger on Wednesday.
Reports said Security Screening Officer (SSO) Valeriano Diaz Ricaplaza Jr., 31, took the watch of a Chinese passenger, identified as Sun Yuhong, while the foreigner
"was going through the security screening procedure."
The incident occurred at about 2:30 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, the report said.
The suspect, however, denied the accusation but closed-circuit television (CCTV) footages allegedly showed Ricaplaza taking the item.
"The designation of OTS Regional Heads and Terminal Chiefs to regularly inspect, monitor and oversee the security screening operations led to the immediate detection of illegal activities and ensured on the spot correction on security deficiences at airport screening operations. This was further bolstered by the constant coordination among airport authorities such as the PNP Aviation Security Group, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and OTS," the agency said.
It added,
"This is one of the actions undertaken by the OTS management to address longstanding issues on lack of effective supervision, that prevents the effective suppression of illegal activities at the screening point."
OTS management sacked five security screeners for alleged extortion activity on February 22, 2023.
OTS Administrator Undersecretary Mao Aplasca said OTS investigators are preparing administrative and criminal cases against the employees.
Tags: #anothetotsworke, #dishonesty, #stealingpassengerwatch, #cctv, #criminalcharges