(Left-Right) Leopoldo Catacutan and Charito Barozzo deny the accusation in an uploaded video that they are operating Laglag-bala modus at NAIA. (UNTV News)
MANILA, Philippines — Leopoldo Catacutan, a screening officer, and Charito Barozzo, leader of team Bravo from the Office for Transportation Security of the Department of Transportation and Communications of NAIA Terminal 2, sought assistance from Law Center Ni Kuya at the UNTV station.
The two were featured in a viral video involving them in the controversial modus operandi called ‘laglag- bala’; a common ploy used by some airport personnel who extort money by planting bullets in the luggage of unsuspecting passengers and framing them for it.
The 11-second video was uploaded on Facebook on September 25 at past eight in the evening. It shows Catacutan and Barozzo inspecting a passenger’s bag at NAIA Terminal 2. A woman’s voice can be heard in the video, saying that it was a case of ‘laglag-bala’. The editor of the video even encircled the faces of the two security personnel to emphasize their identities.
The said video post gained more than seventy thousand views and garnered various criticisms from netizens.
The two officers, however, denied the accusations and insist that they are just doing their job and doing it honorably.
Catacutan recounted the incident with a passenger that occurred on September 25.
“Nahulihan po naming ng bala yung pasahero dumaan naman po sa procedure, may sapat kaming ebidensya, dinala namin sa pulis, so yung pasahero po ngayon nakakulong na.”
Catacutan expressed disappointment after learning that, “habang ginagawa po namin trabaho namin sa airport meron pala kumukuha ng video tapos in-upload sa Facebook …. Pinaratangan kami agad ng ‘laglag bala’ daw which is wala naman sapat na batayan na sabihnan kami ng ganun.”
Barozzo also claims that the passenger in question cried and appealed to her, but she insisted on the need to implement tight security within the airport.
“Hindi ako nagpadala sa awa; kami rin po ang kawawa. Kaya ginawa naming, in-endorse namin sya sa pulis.”
The two also plan to seek assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation to trace the person who uploaded the video.
Meanwhile Catacutan and Barozzo have a message for the netizens who have watched their viral clip.
“Huwag naman nila kaming husgahan kasi tao lang naman kami na nasasaktan. Alamin na nila muna kung ano yung totoo o yung tama bago sila mag-react,” said Barozzo.
“Sana bago kayo magsalita ng masasakit na salita, hintayin nyo muna na matapos yung imbestigasyon. Huwag nyo kami agad paratangan na gumagawa kami ng mali,” added Catacutan.
At present, the two are awaiting summons from the NAIA management. They are confident that they have all necessary evidences to prove their innocence.
Malacañang Palace earlier stated that DOTC and MIAA will conduct an investigation regarding this issue.
DOTC secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya is also waiting for the formal reports of the investigation to verify seeming inconsistencies in media accounts of the incident. (UNTV News)
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