Full probe vowed on chartered jet

MANILA, Philippines — Senators are demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged aborted human trafficking incident at the airport last Monday and that “heads must roll.”

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed disgust over the incident involving eight Chinese-looking individuals who took a private flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), as exposed by Sen. Grace Poe in a privilege speech on Wednesday.

“I just want to put on record my disgust, utter disgust over that incident… Who are these people?” said Zubiri, noting that human traffickers can be like spies avoiding arrest at transit points.

He said that when government officials join the President’s delegation on official trips abroad, “we underwent inspection by the (Bureaus of) Immigration, (and) Customs, and PSG (Presidential Security Group).”

“It’s actually recorded how they were making patintero with these people. It’s embarrassing!” said the Senate President, referring to a childhood street game of evasion.

Worried that the gains the country has earned in the eyes of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States may be lost over such incidents, Zubiri said Poe’s privilege speech will be referred to three Senate committees -- public order and security, public services, and Blue Ribbon.

“There’s a corruption issue here. I am sure these people have to be punished. These people were provided VIP treatment after being blinded by money,” he said.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said “let the axe fall where it may” on the human trafficking activity at the NAIA involving private aircraft and foreign nationals.

“I think heads will roll. I know Senator Bato (Ronald dela Rosa) very well. He is capable of investigating this particular problem. We have a saying: let the axe fall where it may,” said Estrada, referring to the Senate investigation on the incident.

In her privilege speech, Poe detailed how the attempted human trafficking activities happened on Feb. 13. “Let us not allow private flights in our airports as a way for human trafficking,” she said.

Last Monday, the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-ASG) received an anonymous tip about human trafficking activity involving an aircraft with Tail No. N9527E set to depart around 10 p.m. on the same day at NAIA going to Dubai.

After verification, it was confirmed that the plane had a scheduled flight on that day and time. “The anonymous information also noted that only six passengers have been declared but a total of 14 passengers will actually board the aircraft,” Poe said.

She said the airplane was operated by Cloud Nine No. 1 Leasing Co. Ltd., a Hong Kong-registered leasing company handled by Globan Aviation Service Corp.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros asked Poe whether Globan was the same agency that tried to facilitate the escape of the executives of Pharmally who were involved in the questionable multimillion-peso deal with the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management.

The information will also be looked into by the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva joined Poe in condemning the incident.

“We’re not only talking about national security here or human trafficking, Mr. President, but also accountability because these are very sensitive matters. It can’t be because very, very important persons, a guest of these unscrupulous individuals, they can do whatever they please. This is an issue of accountability, also of graft and corruption,” said Villanueva.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa wants the investigation immediately started. “Apparently, their compatriots are blinding our Coast Guard with the laser lights and yet in our own territory, some people are giving them VIP treatment. That’s disgusting,” Dela Rosa said.

The senator was referring to an incident in the West Philippine Sea where the Chinese Coast Guard pointed a military-grade laser at a Philippine Coast Guard crew member, who suffered temporary blindness.

The Senate President said the Senate can order the arrest of the immigration officials if they will not cooperate with the investigation.

Poe said the Blue Ribbon committee has always been swift in calling for a probe so no doubt that it will happen soon.

“Based on the preliminary intelligence information, it seems that the MIAA (Manila International Airport Authority) must be summoned because they are in charge of the NAIA, the Bureau of Immigration because they gave the departure clearance to the undeclared passengers, and the PNP Aviation Security Unit who first alerted us to the modus operandi,” Poe, speaking in Filipino, said.

The MIAA is a government-owned and controlled corporation and agency under the Department of Transportation responsible for the management of NAIA.

“We hope that Globan Aviation will be cooperative as a witness because they are the ground handler of the flight involved in this,” she added.

MIAA confirms authorization

Yesterday, the MIAA confirmed that the a chartered aircraft with registry number and Call sign N9527E was authorized to depart at NAIA runway bound for Dubai last Monday.

The passengers and crew of the aircraft and owned/operated by Cloud Nine No. 1 Leasing Co. Ltd. were given assistance provided by the Airport Police Department (APD) to a number of vehicles going to the Balagbag ramp.

The MIAA said the flight was authorized to take off following an official written request from Globan in relation to a chartered flight that they handled on the night of the same day.

MIAA said in a statement, the assistance of the APD was conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures requiring patrol cars to escort vehicles without blinkers and with no

MIAA-issued permit to the Aircraft Movement Area. 

Initial information gathered revealed that Globan Aviation Corp., the ground handling company, obtained the necessary approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for entry-exit clearance; the PNP AVSEU for the Aircraft Exit Clearance, the MIAA for ramp entry of vehicles that transported the passengers to the Balagbag ramp, all of whom were processed and cleared by the Bureau of Immigration on-site.

“Notwithstanding these pieces of information, the MIAA shall continue with the probe leaving no stone unturned to dispel insinuations that persons are being brought out of the country surreptitiously without going through mandated pre-departure formalities,” the MIAA statement said. — Rudy Santos, Ralph Edwin Villanueva