MANILA — Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Sunday lauded the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) for its immediate response on the reported incidence of “tanim-bala” extortion last Friday.
Go expressed confidence on OTS administrator Usec. Art Evangelista who was with him in an event in Parañaque City, saying the public can trust the official, particularly in reporting suspected acts of extortion.
On behalf of Malacanang, he reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte will never tolerate such activities under this administration.
“Galit na galit ang pangulo sa manloloko kaya iyang tanim-bala kapag na-prove niyang kikil iyon, ipapalunok niya talaga yung bala.”
“Narito si Usec. Art Evangelista, ginagawa naman nila ‘yong trabaho nila,” he said. “‘Pag may tanim-bala diyan, i-sumbong niyo agad sa kaniya.”
Passenger Kristine Bumanglag-Moran recently posted her experience through a Facebook status, narrating how she was caught with a bullet in her luggage on Friday afternoon.
After it gone viral, Go also took it to social media to assure the incident will never be tolerated.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), jointly with the OTS, has completed its investigation on the allegation of Bumanglag-Moran.
The report was submitted to Malacañang through Go in compliance with its 24-hour deadline given to MIAA and OTS.
In a statement on Sunday, MIAA said the luggage yielded one piece 9 mm live ammunition stuck at the bottom of the front pocket of victim’s luggage which was wrapped in plastic when X-rayed at the initial security checkpoint.
The bullet was confiscated after proper logging of the incident into Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s official records.
Bumanglag-Moran and her companions were eventually allowed to take their flight to Zamboanga. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)
