Senate probes alleged human smuggling at NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will start today its inquiry into the reported outbound smuggling of foreigners at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) that exposed security vulnerabilities in the country’s main gateway.

The committee, chaired by Sen. Francis Tolentino, will conduct an inquiry into the exposé of Sen. Grace Poe last week on an incident that occurred in the evening of Feb. 13, wherein a chartered jet flew out of the country apparently without pre-flight inspection and with only half of 14 passengers reportedly declared in its manifest.

“That’s what we’re seeing, so far, that these chartered flights can be a loophole that can compromise our security because apparently, anybody can enter restricted areas where aircraft are parked and take off – that is a huge risk to our security,” Poe said in Filipino in an interview with journalists.

The senator earlier narrated that the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-ASG) received an anonymous tip about a human smuggling activity involving an aircraft departing for Dubai.

She said the jet was operated by Cloud Nine No. 1 Leasing Co. Ltd., a Hong Kong-registered leasing company handled by Globan Aviation Service Corp., which Sen. Risa Hontiveros noted was apparently the same company involved in the attempt to fly out Pharmally executives in November 2021.

Poe added that records held by the Bureau of Immigration listed seven passengers: a Malaysian, a Korean, a Chinese, a Vanuatuan and three other foreigners from Saint Kitts and Nevis, but PNP-ASG personnel saw other individuals boarding the aircraft.

The senator disclosed that her office is still verifying the authenticity of the document that showed that only seven individuals were declared as arriving in Dubai on that flight.

She said the same aircraft reportedly proceeded to Geneva.

The Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have insisted that the departure of the foreigners was legitimate, as opposed to the PNP-ASG’s allegations, but there were details that were suspicious, including reports that the foreigners were escorted by BI officials and that baggage and other items apparently were not checked, according to Poe.