NAIA awaits terrorist watch list

While security checks have been tightened, airport authorities are in the dark as to the identities of potential terrorists entering the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In an interview yesterday, retired Gen. Angel Atutubo, assistant manager for security of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), told The STAR that he had not received any "watch list" or advisory "either locally or from other countries" regarding specific terrorist threats.

"There is no specific identity or group, no specific nationality," he said. "But we are still implementing rigid screening of all, whether they be American, Arab, Filipino or other nationalities."

Atutubo suggested that responsibility for acting on such information would be the domain of higher authority.

He said that if the United States had indeed sent a watch list to the Philippines, only "the local National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, under the Office of the President, would know about such information."

But Atutubo was confident that the stepped-up security at the NAIA has made the Philippines a safe destination for visitors from the US and other countries.

In a related development, Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita said yesterday the country appeared to be "relatively safer than ever" despite reports of a terrorist plot to launch attacks here and abroad.

In a chance interview, Ermita — who is also chairman of the National Anti-Terrorism Task Force, pointed out he has not received any report on any planned terrorist attack in the country.

"We have not received any report of any such fresh information in the Philippines but you know, this is a continuing effort of the authorities," he said, referring to published reports that terrorists are planning new attacks in the country and the US.

For his part, Armed Forces chief Gen. Narciso Abaya said authorities have not monitored any terrorist plot against American interests in Metro Manila.

Atutubo said the MIAA has over 2,000 security personnel working 24 hours at the NAIA complex, which includes the Manila Domestic Airport.

The Airport Police Department (APD), which is under the MIAA, also has seven K-9 dogs, while the Aviation Security Group (ASG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has six such bomb-sniffing dogs, he said. The dogs work on 24-hour shifts at sensitive areas and checkpoints.

He said the NAIA has about 600 APD personnel, 900 ASG personnel and 1,000 private security personnel, augmented by police from Parañaque and Pasay cities and the Southern Police District (SPD).

Atutubo said he is scheduled to meet with MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi today to brief his superior on security arrangements at the NAIA. — With Jaime Laude