Fil-Ams paranoid about the ‘Laglag Bala’ scam in the Philippines propose solution

YOU can see and feel the “paranoia” among travelers even in the terminals here in the United States.
On flights coming from the Philippines, luggage is plastic wrapped and locked and have signs that say there are no bullets inside, so extorters better take their hands off. These are some of the ways kababayans are making their luggage “bulletproof” from the ‘laglag bala” (bullet planting) scam whereby perpetrators allegedly “plant” bullets in travelers’ luggage to extort money (Php 500) so the case would go away. Otherwise, these poor victims would be detained and harassed for a crime they never committed.
After this scam has been exposed all over international media and with the United Nations even issuing warnings to its staff about this modus, the Aquino Administration now admits that the alleged extortion scam at the NAIA is now affecting the country, but it hopes the effects will not be lasting.
Malacanang says the government has already been taking steps to address the matter, including not allowing airport security to handle passenger bags to avoid contact.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been conducting its own investigation and urged all victims to come out and report their experience at the NAIA.
Meantime, ABS-CBN News reported that President Aquino has issued a directive to watch the watchers, to make sure security measures would not be abused.
Fil-Am community leaders have also been proposing solutions to this national problem and global embarrassment.
I interviewed the legal counsel of the Fil-Am group US Pinoy for Good Governance (USPGG), Atty. Ted Laguatan, on Balitang America where he discussed the group’s proposal, summarized in this public statement against the airport extortion syndicate planting bullets in passengers’ luggage:
USPGG urges government not to detain passengers with bullets but no guns
A syndicate working inside the airport plants bullets in the luggage of outgoing passengers — and then extorts money from them. They are practically helpless. Many are tourists and overseas Filipinos living and working abroad. They fork over money as they don’t want to miss their flights and don’t want to be subjected to more hassles.  
They can’t protect themselves or fight back as they are isolated and  can be beaten up by men armed with guns or worse – accused of carrying other contraband like drugs if they resist.
It is the responsibility of government to protect them. 
Obviously, the purpose of the law against  carrying bullets by passengers is for security purposes. Bullets alone  without a gun – is  not a threat. To protect potential victims, the government should immediately issue an order to airport security personnel stating that passengers carrying bullets but without a gun are not security threats and should not be detained. The bullets can be confiscated.
This news about airline passengers being victimized by planting bullets in their luggage has gone viral worldwide. Aside from giving  the Philippines a very bad image – it drives  visitors away and has drastic effects on the tourism industry – resulting in the loss of millions of dollars.
The USPGG strongly urges the government to decriminalize finding bullets without an accompanying gun in passengers luggage and to prosecute those involved in extorting passengers.

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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos