THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) placed all 42 commercial airports in the country under heightened alert on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, due to bomb threats received by the Air Traffic Service (ATS) through electronic mail.
In a statement, the Caap said the email contained information that aircraft from Manila going to the international airports in Puerto Princesa, Mactan-Cebu, Bicol, and Davao would be set off by a bomb.
Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Julius Neri Jr., in a text message to SunStar Cebu on Friday, confirmed that the airport is on heightened alert, although airport operations remain normal.
“We are on heightened alert and have had all of our K9 assets deployed and sniffing for any explosive device. We also deployed extra security personnel. We have not found anything so far, and all airport operations are normal,” Neri said.
Mactan-Cebu International Airport is located in Lapu-Lapu City.
The Caap has also ordered the deployment of more security personnel in the airports to manage the expected high volume of passengers and vehicle traffic.
It said the conduct of foot and mobile patrols will be strengthened within both the airside and landside areas of the airport complex.
The Caap asked for the passengers’ understanding as they implement stringent access control procedures for personnel and vehicles accompanied by thorough inspections of passengers and cargo.
“We advise passengers who will be traveling internationally to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled flight to avoid any inconvenience,” it said.
“We also urge the public to cooperate fully with security personnel and to remain vigilant while at the airport. Safety and security remain our top priorities, and these measures are being taken to safeguard all those who use our airports,” it added. (TPM, EHP)