STOP THE ARRESTS!!!!!!!

IMMEDIATELY ORDER NAIA'S OTS AND AVSECOM TO STOP ARRESTING/DETAINING/PROFILING OF TRAVELERS ALLEGEDLY IN POSSESSION OF LIVE BULLETS FOUND IN THEIR LUGGAGE/HANDCARRIED BELONGINGS!!!! JUST SIMPLY CONFISCATE THEM!

Recent events at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport transpired since September in 2015 involving what was called "lag-lag bala" which victimizes travelers of an entrapment by "planting" a live bullet in his luggage or hand-carried belongings.  This modus operandi was used by some criminal elements at the airport to extort money from the victims.  If the victims cannot pay, they were arrested, jailed and formal complaint filed in court for possession of live ammunition. We are setting up this petition online not only as a form of protest, but also to lobby immediate action to protect travelers particularly the OFWs, and to curb corruptions among the security personnel of NAIA, other enforcing officers as well as the police.

The National Bureau of Investigation or NBI has started investigating this phenomenon and an insider blows the whistle confirming the presence of a syndicate operating inside NAIA.  However, the head of the task force investigating into the laglag bala extortion rackets said that it is too early to conclude that such syndicate is behind the supposed scheme plaguing the NAIA.  Despite of this, Malacanang continue to give press releases denying such existence, and likewise continue to insist the those caught with live bullets will be turned over to the Aviation Security Command or AVSECOM. Despite of the numbers of complaints, in spite of the negative publicity, President Aquino remains steadfast to arrest, detain and press charges against those held even if they claim that they have been scammed.

We call on the President to immediately order the NAIA, particularly the OTS and the AVSECOM to stop arresting, detaining and profiling of travelers found to be in possession of live bullets, and order only the confiscation of these. 

 An immediate revamp and restructuring of the security system must be done because the current system is tainted with degenerated moral system which is the root cause of all these fiascos.  This should include firing MIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado for failing to set up preventive measures since this issue came up in September, and due to his defense of the OTS despite insistence from the victims that they have been scammed.  Said General Manager was adamant insisting that their OTS were not doing any anomalies and that the victims were actually in possession of those bullets. The President should immediately fire General Manager for incompetence, for failing to abate complaints arising from the Laglag/Tanim bala.

 While we demand immediate action on our grievances, we specifically demand repeal of a particular provision of a law which is also one of the root causes for the sufferings not only of victimized travelers but also victimized citizens against unreasonable searches, as well as harassment of those in the opposition.  This provision is contained in Republic Act. No. or "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LAW ON FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF"  penalizes any "person who unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a small arm..." (Art. 5, Section 28. p. g)

 

Penalizing with fines and imprisonment for the possession of ammunition for a small arm like bullets is ridiculous.  This provision was mostly invoked by police officers to harass suspected criminals by planting evidence due to the small size of the ammunition.  Planting this evidence is also being used against political opposition.  Likewise, recently, planting this evidence was supposedly used by the Laglag bala gang at the airport to extort money from travelers. 

 

Because the provision was misapplied, irrational and ridiculous, we are making this petition to scrap the said provision.  With regards to carrying live ammunitions in the airport, confiscation of the ammunition suffice without any charges of criminal complaint.

 In summary, we petition the following:

1.  Fire MIAA Manager Jose Angel Honrado, amd replace with someone of indespicable integrity;

2. Change all the security officers at NAIA

3. Install CCTV devices clear enough to identify not only the people but also whatever they are doing

4. repeal the contested provision on RA 10591 particularly on the possession of a bullet.

5. Due to unabated arrests of unsuspecting victims, the PNP or AVSECOM must stop arresting those accused on the ground that the possession of such bullet do not warrant enough reasons to cause unrest, since arrest and detention tantamount to excessive and harsh punishment.

AGAIN WE REPEAT, STOP THE ARREST, DETENTION, PROFILING AND HARASSMENT OF TRAVELERS FOUND TO BE IN POSSESSION OF LIVE BULLETS!