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| Security staff at all NAIA terminals should not touch the passports of entering passengers |
In what appears to be a determined effort to stamp out the “punit-passport” complaints involving Filipinos travelling out of the Philippines, the Department of Transportation has ordered security personnel to keep their hands off the travel documents of passengers entering any of the terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
Earlier,
the DOTr also warned airline companies in a weekend meeting against tampering
with the passports of their passengers, after a rash of complaints posted on
social media by travelers who said they had been prevented from leaving due to
tears in their passports which had not been there before they were presented
for check-in.
The
one that was shared the most was posted by Diana Natividad, who said her
78-year-old father was stopped from boarding by Cebu Pacific check-in staff who
noticed a slight tear in the binding of his passport.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Even
though they were later cleared to fly by another check-in counter and immigration
officers, they were still stopped at the boarding gates by other Cebu Pacific
personnel.
In an advisory posted on Tuesday, the New Naia Infra Corp (NNIC) told all security personnel at the Manila international airport not to touch the passports of entering passengers when during the verification process.
“Passengers will simply be asked to show their
valid ID or travel document by holding it up themselves,” the advisory added.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
In most aiports abroad, however, including Hong Kong, anybody can enter aiports freely, and passengers are required to present their passports only when checking in for a flight, eliminating such an unnecessary verification process.
In
his meeting with airline representatives earlier, Transportation Secretary
Vince Dizon warned that any attempt by their personnel to deliberately tear or
mutilate passports of passengers to prevent them from flying will not be
tolerated.
Dizon
said that during the ongoing investigation by the DOTr and the Civil
Aeronautics Board, CCTV footages will be inspected, along with actual personal
accounts by passengers who claimed to have been victimized.
“If
we see reports of these incidents and prove that there are airline personnel
behind this scheme, then I am sorry. Sanctions will be imposed on both the
airlines and their personnel,” Dizon
stressed.
In
Natividad’s case, Cebu Pacific had earlier claimed its check-in staff had
checked with airport authorities in Bali, Indonesia, and they were told that
the elderly passenger would be prevented from entering even if he was cleared
to fly in Manila.
Dizon
said part of their investigation will include a check with Bali authorities on
the matter.
The
DOTr, meanwhile, reminded passengers bound for international flights to always
check the validity and condition of their passports before traveling and to
consult with passport centers or airport authorities when in doubt.
However,
published advisories from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clearly state
that a passport is considered damage only when its physical condition is
altered due to wear and tear, aging, negligence, or other factors that leave it
mutilated or defective.
A
passport is deemed mutilated only if its data page becomes unreadable or if any
information is missing.
Clearly,
a simple tear in the passport that does not make the passenger information unreadable
should not stop anyone from leaving the country.
