Charles Teves
Filipinos felt embarrassed after a video showed two Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) officers pickpocketing a Thai national.
The footage was uploaded to Facebook by a Thai national, Piyawat Gunlayaprasit.
The first video shows a heavy-set officer digging her hands into the pockets of Thai national Kitja Thabthim, who is unaware he is being robbed.
The heavy-set officer then hands Thabthim’s wallet to another female officer who wears a short haircut.
The short-haired officer then briefly stalls before allowing passengers to enter the metal detector.
According to Gunlayaprasit, his companion Thabthim complained that his wallet was missing. The officers then claimed there were no CCTVs in the area so they couldn’t help him.
After a while, Gunlayaprasit revealed to the officers that he had filmed the incident at the checkpoint.
In a second video, the heavy-set officer leads Thabthim to a secluded area and gives him back his wallet.
She then approaches Gunlayaprasit and begs him to delete the video because she had kids to feed.
“I have 7 kids. I’m sorry sir please delete the video,” she said.
Filipinos in the comment section apologized and hoped the post would become viral to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Stealing at NAIA. This time a Thai national.
Before it was laglag bala and stealing from bags. Now, security staff steal from wallets when passengers' bags go through the xray machine.
Senator Robin Padilla, this kind of criminal activity puts the Philippines in a bad light. pic.twitter.com/BMROTw6RYD
— Cece 🇵🇭 (@MamaPiaya) February 27, 2023
Damnnnn kahiyaaaa https://t.co/QP18bVks4v
— Anthony (@superpaul09) February 28, 2023
nacacahiya naman tapos ang sasabihin ng mga apologist paltan name ng airport hahaha https://t.co/yjL3V7ZPFl
— toni (@AadickSayo) February 27, 2023
Nakakahiya ito para sa atin. Dapat makasuhan at nakulong ang mga salarin. https://t.co/9pr4jmfTDg
— Sherwin Gatchalian (@stgatchalian) February 27, 2023
NAKAKAHIYA NANAMAN NAIA NATIN
A Thai national captured a really bad modus at the NAIA checkpoint na ninanakawan sila ng cash during screening.
Videos and Post: https://t.co/vfuNUzAdTj pic.twitter.com/f87dAbD7f0
— Carl (@lamielcarl) February 25, 2023
Wala bang actual vid yung nagnakaw na NAIA personnel sa Thai tourist tangina nakakahiya 🫠
— blythe akhuetie (@picassomnlpex) February 28, 2023
Ano ang nangyari sa NAIA ngayon ? nakakahiya sakad buto ang nakawan. Wala bang magawa ang pangulo tungkol sa issue nato aba dapat mag resign na siya bilang pangulo dahil nasisira na ang ating bayan, Nakakahiya ang ating bansang magnanakaw daw sabi ng Thai
— sally (@sallyling28) February 27, 2023
On Monday, the Office for Transportation Security announced that it had taken action against the personnel featured in a widely circulated video that appears to depict them stealing from a Thai tourist during a security screening.
The OTS has removed and suspended these individuals and is investigating the incident to pursue criminal charges against the security personnel.
“These illegal acts will not be tolerated and we will apply the full force of the law to penalize the perpetrators,” OTS said in a statement.
It added that the OTS personnel “shall not only be dismissed from the service but shall also be put behind bars for their criminal acts that tarnish the reputation and integrity not only of OTS but the entire country in general.”
Similarly, two weeks ago, another Thai woman, Saruta Jansila, accused NAIA officers of attempting to steal money from her bag. Specifically, she claimed they tried to take 40,000 yen, equivalent to approximately 10,000 baht.
She shared her experience with the Facebook group “People Who Like to Roam Around Japan” on February 9.
Saruta Jansila clarified that she and her husband were in Manila for a layover on their way to Japan.
While walking through a security check for their luggage, she sensed that the officers were touching her arm somehow.
“I spotted the officer doing something with my arm, and for some reason, I was worried that she might have put some illegal stuff into our bags,” she wrote.
Despite feeling uneasy, she and her husband proceeded with their trip. However, they later realized that four 10,000-yen bills were missing from their small Japanese yen purse. She returned to the airport to report the incident, and more than ten officers gathered to inspect their luggage again. According to the Thai national, one of the officers attempted to distract her from the search by engaging in casual conversation. She revealed, “The officers urged me to check the money again. And surprisingly, my money came back! Four bills were in the front pocket. It was so scary. They committed crimes but looked so chilled. They tried to avoid showing security camera footage to me and talked to each other in Tagalog. I wanted to complain to them, but my husband urged me to let it go because we got the money back.”
