Thursday, September 07, 2006
Editorial: Airport security holes
SECURITY in the country's vital transport installations was brought under new light when a security expert managed to breeze through airport security from Davao to Manila to abroad without our security personnel picking up any sign of bomb materials within his person.
At least this security expert was assumed a "he" owing to the admission of several top Palace officials. And even Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte confirmed this anti-terror "dry run" but gave sketchy details.
According to Duterte, the antiterrorism expert did pass by the Davao international airport but said details are only available from "higher authorities," which meant all the way to the Palace.
This begs the question of whether similar anti-terrorism exercises have been held in other airports in conjunction with this little trial run. One remembers that little incident in Lumbia airport for example.
There were reports received by the airport security personnel that some person left bomb materials at the airport area but further examination showed that the suspected bomb materials were nothing more than discarded cell phone materials, including a battery charger.
Now according to the graphic presentations by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, bomb materials used by the antiterrorism expert were a cell phone and a battery charger.
Whether the Lumbia airport incident is cued into this little exercise or not cannot be verified as of the moment. Still with this little disclosure we can glean an insight into how the airport security in our country works.
And this little exercise shows just how ignorant our airport personnel are in detecting suspected bomb materials. That is not exactly surprising because, much as we hate to admit it, our security measures don't exactly size up to those that had been implemented by British airport personnel who had detected accurately the presence of bomb materials from liquid substances and assorted mechanisms.
Which is why there is a need to step up trainings for our airport security personnel in detecting possible items that can be used to manufacture bombs or even weapons to be used by terrorists or simply criminals out to victimize innocent airline passengers.
A little known fact is that one of the airliners intended to crash into the White House was commandeered by terrorists armed only with clippers and other sharp edged weapons. With this in mind, let's try and at least be more stringent in our airport security without inconveniencing and violating the rights of passengers.
Sounds a rather difficult balance but in these dangerous times there is only so much that can be done.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (September 7, 2006 issue)
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