NAIA screener arrested

MANILA, Philippines — A screener of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) was arrested on Sept. 1 for verbally abusing a colleague who testified that he stole from a Taiwanese passenger at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, police said yesterday.

Nievel Gorpe, 38, and Reinel Alvarez, 33, were seen on closed-circuit television footage taking something from the luggage of Cheng Chun Shu on Aug. 30.

Gorpe verbally abused Reinel Alvarez after the latter said Gorpe handed him $100 and that he took a pack of cigarettes to distract Cheng.

Cheng said he saw Gorpe take something from a brown envelope, which contained $11,300, in his backpack. He said he counted his money and found that $2,600 was missing.

Gorpe posted bail on a charge of unjust vexation. He and Alvarez face a charge of qualified theft.