MANILA (UPDATE) – Civil Service Commissioner Aileen Lizada on Thursday said foreigners had bypassed her along with other passengers in a pre-departure security line at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3).
Lizada, who was bound for Tuguegarao early Thursday, said she was in a line along with other passengers when 5 people, whom she said looked Chinese, went under the barriers to cut the line.
“Nakapila ako, biglang sa right side ko may 5 who appeared to be Chinese lumusot sa tali, lumusot sila sa ilalim and they went straight to the X-ray machine kahit marami pa ang nakapila,” Lizada told ABS-CBN News.
(I was in line when 5 people who appeared Chinese went under the barrier and went straight to the X-ray machine even though others were in line)
“Why put a barrier kung hindi nila susundin? It was there to put things in order. ‘Yung mga Pilipino nakapila, bakit sila hindi pipila?” she said.
(Why put a barrier when it won’t be followed? It was there to put things in order. Filipinos fall in line, why can’t they?)
Lizada said she immediately filed a complaint at the desk of the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) but staffers there denied the 5 cut the line.
“According sa staff we were not bypassed. Ano lang dumiretso lang daw sila sa X-ray (They just went straight to the X-ray). They’re not being truthful,” Lizada said.
Lizada said she forwarded her complaint to Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal, who said the foreigners just went to the shorter line.
Lizada said she would take further action once CCTV footage of the incident is released.
In a statement, the MIAA said it would release all CCTV footage covering the incident to Lizada.
The airport authority added that it would ask the OTS to designate queuing officers at all screening checkpoints at the NAIA Terminals.
SOURCE:ABS CBN
