4 NAIA X-ray screeners suspended over alleged ‘laglag bala’ extortion activities

Four Ninoy Aquino International Airport X-ray screeners were temporarily removed from their post following complaints that they were extorting money from passengers by allegedly planting ammunition in their baggage – the so-called “laglag bala” scam.

According to a Tuesday report on GMA 7 news program “24 Oras”, passenger Red de Guzman was one of the victims of the alleged scam.



Security camera footage from September 18, the day de Guzman was allegedly victimized, showed the screeners in a huddle, deep in discussion.

De Guzman claimed that the screeners then asked her for a P500 bribe.

The incident looked suspicious to Office of Transportation Security Dir. Atty. Miguel Oraa, given that the screeners did not file a report of ammunition being found in de Guzman's baggage. “What is very clear is they did not record the incident. So that gives rise, as I said, to a possibility na mayroon silang gustong hindi palabasin o itago,” Oraa explained.

However, though the screeners were suspended, this did not mean they were found guilty. They could be back at work if a subsequent investigation finds them faultless.

According to the OTS, 3,325 bullets were found in passengers' baggage at the NAIA from January to August 2015. — Andrei Medina/DVM, GMA News