Bertiz ‘Clearly’ Breached Security Protocols: OTS

MANILA — The Office of Transportation Security (OTS) on Monday said ACTS-OFW Partylist Rep. John Bertiz “clearly” breached security protocols when he refused to take off his shoes and confronted a personnel during a security inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sept. 29.

“Based on the video, there was a breach of protocol. Ang linaw naman eh (That was very clear),” OTS Administrator Art Evangelista said in a press briefing Monday.

“Meron tayong Republic Act 6235, kaya ka bumibili ng ticket (kasi) may kontrata ka sa airline. Ang airline sasabihin niya heto bigyan kita ng ticket pero kapag pumasok ka ng airport sasakay ka ng eroplano, dapat magpa-search ka pati bagahe mo (We have Republic Act 6235, when you buy a ticket you have a contract with the airline. The airline will tell you: We will issue you a ticket but before you enter the airport and board on the plane, you need to undergo a search with your luggage as well),” he added.

NAIA officials on Saturday implemented Security Condition Level 2 which requires passengers to take off their shoes during inspection.

There are three security condition levels being implemented at the airports across the country:

Security Condition Level 1 means regular security inspection which does not require taking off the shoes of passengers; and Security Condition Level 2, meanwhile, require shoes be taken off for inspection while Level 3 is airport lockdown.

“Kapag nalaman ng counterparts natin gaya ng UK, Canada at China na hindi pinatanggal ang sapatos ng pasahero doon sa final checkpoint, hindi na nila tatanggapin ang flights natin at hindi na rin sila magpapadala ng flights sa atin (If our counterparts like the UK, Canada and China find out that we have not taken off the shoes of passengers on the final checkpoint, they will not be accepting our flights and they will not also be conducting flights to our country,” Evangelista added.

A video, which went viral on social media over the weekend, showed Bertiz shoving his NAIA security ID to an airport personnel and tried to get the ID of the latter.

In a statement, the lawmaker said he confronted the security personnel because he saw a group of Chinese-looking passengers that did not pass through the inspection.

“Ni-review ko yung sinasabi niya (Rep. Bertiz) on the incident. Wala yung mga Chinese na sinasabi niya (I reviewed his statement on the incident. There were no Chinese persons during the inspection),” Evangelista said.

He said the security ID does not exempt anyone from undergoing security checks.

“Having an ID is just a privilege; kahit na may ID ka at dumaan ka sa security inspection obligado ka na magtanggal ng sapatos (even if you have an ID and you pass through the security inspection, you are required to take off your shoes),” he said.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) will be the ones to decide if the security ID of Bertiz needs to be revoked.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has started its investigation and is currently gathering reports, complaints and video footages on the incident.

“Authorities are now studying if any law or protocol has been violated, and assures all individuals concerned that any decision shall strictly be in accordance to existing rules, regulations, and procedures being implemented in our airports,” the DOTr said in a statement on Sunday. (PNA)