Man arrested at NAIA for smuggling money out

Airport policemen arrested yesterday a 52-year-old man for allegedly trying to smuggle Philippine peso bills amounting to some P4 million out of the country.

Isidro de Telesporo, who identified himself as an employee of a real estate development company, was nabbed shortly after his hand-carried luggage went through an X-ray machine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.

Retired General Angel Atutubo, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) assistant general manager for security and emergency services, said Telesporo was supposed to board a 6 a.m. Philippine Airlines flight to Singapore.

However, Telesporo did not even make it past the first X-ray baggage screening machine after suspicious items were detected in his bag.

When airport security officers and 1st Police Center for Aviation Services (PCAS) policemen opened it, his hand-carried luggage yielded bundles of cash in P1,000 and P500 denominations.

Atutubo said Telesporo will be charged for violating Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulations which do not allow anyone to leave the country carrying P10,000 or more in Philippine currency.

According to him, the amount Telesporo was carrying falls way below the limit for him to be charged with plunder or violation of the anti-money laundering act.

"He can be charged with economic sabotage," Atutubo told The Star.

Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials at the NAIA said the money Telesporo was carrying would be confiscated. – Michael Punongbayan