DAVAO City officials were not comfortable with the changes made at the Davao International Airport (DIA) that allow loading and unloading of passengers right by the airport's entrance and exit doors.
Retired Colonel Verner Monsanto, Public Safety Command Center (PSCC) commander and head of the Central 911, said it was the consensus of the Davao City Oplan Laban sa Terorismo (DColt) that the previous security plan of the airport that sets the parking area far from the entrance should be followed.
Cars should not be allowed to stay long outside the entrance, he said.
"Everybody agreed that we should go back to the previous security measures," Monsanto said, citing that if a bomb explodes at the main entrance, which is made of glass, "there could be more casualties as the glass would shatter and spread."
As a result of the city's security forces' concern, the DColt drafted recommendations for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap).
The recommendation will be finalized after a security briefing, said Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
Former head of the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCott) Major Magno Adalin, who was present during the briefing, was tasked to submit the recommendation paper.
Adalin confirmed that DColt wants the airport security to be returned to its previous version where no one can go near the two driveways fronting the airport terminal.
"Actually, last month pa yan, merong lane na pwedeng magpark ang mga sasakyan, which is very near the main entrance and yung baggage checking before you are allowed to enter the building wala na, sa loob na lang. I told Colonel Monsanto to visit the airport (Friday)," Duterte said after the security meeting the other week.
Before the changes were made over a month ago, only vehicles with special passes can pass by and stop at the two-lane driveway right outside the airport departure and pre-departure entrances and exits.
Taxis are parked at the parking lot area along with all other vehicles waiting for passengers. Both passengers and well-wishers also are picked up and wait in this area. Only departing passengers and their baggage are allowed on the second two-lane driveway in between the one right outside the airport terminal doors and the parking lot.
At the makeshift covered walk where departing passengers have to pass through on their way in are policemen who manually inspect luggage. That is before entering the terminal building where x-ray machines are set up to check on all baggage.
Under the new system, passengers dropped right by the terminal building and only go through two x-ray checks inside the building. (Jade C. Zaldivar)