NAIA screener axed for getting chocolates from passenger’s luggage

MANILA– A security screening officer (SSO) has been dismissed from his post for allegedly stealing chocolates from a passenger, an official of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) said Monday.

The OTS said the screener was served a dismissal order on Sept. 23 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, "for taking things from the luggage of a departing passenger while conducting baggage inspection last Sept. 13."

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), OTS spokesperson Kim Marquez said the screener claimed that the chocolates were given by the passenger.

Marquez, however, clarified that they are not allowed to receive anything as part of their "no gift/tipping" policy.

She admitted that the OTS has not received a complaint from the passenger, but said they received a report from an OTS supervisor, prompting them to probe the incident.

Asked why the subject was not suspended between Sept. 13 and 23, Marquez claimed that the CCTV footage they requested from the Manila International Airport Authority was delayed.

"As soon as we got the evidence, the personnel involved was dismissed the next day," she said, adding that the screener was a job order personnel. "They could be dismissed outright if they commit violations in their contractual obligations."

She said the OTS is calling on the passenger involved to shed light on the incident so they could further pursue charges against the personnel. (PNA)