AN OFFICIAL of the Police Aviation Security Unit (AVSEU) of Laguindingan Airport over the weekend said there was no "laglag-bala" in the airport contrary to claims of a passenger Friday night, October 25.
Police Colonel Raniel Valones, AVSEU chief, said the shoulder bag of the passenger identified as Yolanda Patricio was subjected for a final inspection when the X-ray machine showed one piece of a caliber .380 live bullet inside the bag.
Valones said airport personnel immediately took pictures of the bullet and checked the bag thoroughly.
"Tinanong namin sino ang may-ari. Inamin naman ni ma'am Yolanda Patricio na sa kanya. Tinanong namin sino ang nag-impake. Baka may ibang nag-impake. Wala naman daw, siya lang," Valones said.
(We asked who the owner of the bag was. Yolanda Patricio said it was hers. We asked who packed her bag because maybe someone else did. She said she was the only one who did it.)
The passenger denied she had knowledge that a bullet was inside her bag, Valones added.
He said they found the bullet placed inside the pocket of the shoulder bag.
"So, very impossible po na magkaroon ng laglag bala kasi nandoon po nakalagay sa loob ng handbag or parang pouch po sa loob ng kanyang bag," he said.
(So, it is very impossible that there would be a bullet inside because it is inside the handbag or like in its pouch.)
Valones also said that the passenger later on admitted that the bullet was her amulet.
"Umamin din si Mrs. Yolanda Patricio after the commotion na amulet lang niya yun," he said.
(Mrs. Yolanda Patricio eventually admitted after the commotion that it was her amulet.)
On Friday night, a certain Karen Moreno posted on her Facebook that her 68-year-old mother was accused of carrying a bullet inside her shoulder bag while they were about to depart from the airport.
"Ridiculous! My 68 year old mom, who has never carried or even touched a bullet in her entire life because she's afraid of it, was accused of carrying a bullet inside her shoulder bag at Laguindingan Airport. Good thing my lawyer-husband was with us. He is known by some of the OTS personnel as he is a frequent traveler to CDO. When he intervened and introduced himself as a lawyer, one of the personnel said 'okay na yan, okay na yan...' My goodness! Hanggang ngayon pala may tanim-bala pa din!! Wala ba talagang konsensya ang mga taong ito?!? Kawawa ang mga inosenteng taong nabibiktima nyo! Namimili pa kayo ng mga senior na walang kalaban laban!!" read Moreno's post.
Meanwhile, Valones cried foul after Moreno's lawyer-husband Gerard Moreno Jr., who was also a passenger, intervened during the procedural check-up and cursed at the airport personnel.
The police official said it was unfair for the airport personnel who were just doing their job. He said the airport management can prove that their personnel did not touch the passenger's bag.
"He cursed our personnel there. Obstruction of justice nga yun, eh, nag-intervene siya. Merong CCTV na magpapatunay na walang sino mang nakialam sa kanilang bag. Sa pouch nga nakalagay yung bala. Magikero lang po gumagawa nun," Valones said.
(It is an obstruction of justice when he intervened. There is CCTV footage that proves no one touched their bags. The bullet was inside the pouch. Only a magician could do that.)
"Unfair sa aming personnel yung mga akusasyon. Pwede sampahan ng kaso kasi walang basehan. Kasi nakialam siya, dapat alam niya na SOP (standard operating procedure) yun kasi lawyer siya," he said.
(Those accusations are unfair to our personnel. He may be charged because there is no evidence. He intervened because he’s a lawyer. He should know it is standard operating procedure.)
Valones added that the airport personnel are open to any investigation but insisted laglag-bala does not exist in Laguindingan airport.
Laguindingan airport manager Engineer Job De Jesus also denied there is laglag-bala in the airport.
"There is no such thing as laglag-bala in Laguindingan airport," he said in a text message.
Meanwhile, the passengers were able to depart from the airport while the bullet was confiscated and turned over to police.
As of this writing, Karen Moreno is still being reached for comment.