It is up to us
The bullet-planting scheme definitely ongoing at the NAIA is still the hottest issue of the day. And why shouldn't it be? A single bullet found in one's baggage is enough to ruin one's life. Aside from the immense inconvenience it causes, a victim faces criminal charges and imprisonment. Which makes you wonder why anyone would risk bringing a single bullet in or out of the country. The answer of course, is obvious. There are those at NAIA who extort money from "victims", in exchange for looking the other way, so to speak. I'm sure that if the penalty for carrying a single or even two live bullets were not too harsh, then this scam would stop.
Some lawmakers have suggested a review of the said law regarding live ammunition in luggage. Some see the penalty for carrying a single bullet too harsh. Perhaps a small fine along with confiscating the bullet would suffice. If the number of live ammunition carried goes beyond five of ten, then that's when it becomes criminal. If the fine is small enough to make extorting not worth their while, then the scam should stop. According to a source, five hundred pesos gets you out of jail. If the fine were only one hundred pesos per bullet, then extorting for less than that would be a waste of time, especially if it still has to shared by who knows how many. From the bullet-planter, to the OTS personnel who discover the bullet, to whoever else has given their blessing to the scam. An increase in the number of cases would only confirm the presence of a syndicate.
Authorities are saying that there is no syndicate operating at the NAIA, and that the number of cases are not alarming compared to the volume of passengers who make it safely. That doesn't really give any semblance of assurance nor comfort, especially if you become one of those "insignificant number of people". If the bullets are considered by some as amulets or souvenirs, then by all means charge them. But senior citizens and students who really have no business nor reason to carry live ammunition? These are obviously planted. And the fact that even taxi drivers are now getting into the action as well only confirms the presence of a syndicate, or a group of unscrupulous individuals at least. It is very hard to fight crime especially when the enforcers themselves are the ones committing them.
There are those who are suffering from this whole issue. Porters losing opportunities to earn, overall low morale at the airport. But who is to blame for that? The passengers? The passengers are the victims. And the passengers themselves are the ones taking steps not become victims of this scam. Almost every passenger entering NAIA has taken steps to protect their luggage from being planted with evidence. Plastic-wrapped, taped-over, locked to the heavens, you name it. And rightly so. If authorities are already saying there is no bullet-planting syndicate at the NAIA, then it is up to us to protect ourselves. It is up to us to fight back. It is up to us to decide whom to trust, or not to trust anyone at all. That's the just the way it is at NAIA today.
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