International, Travel

‘LAGLAG BALA’ AFTERMATH: MANILA-BOUND PHILIPPINE AIR LINES FLIGHT LEAVES HONOLULU EMPTY

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imageHONOLULU, Hawaii (The Adobo Chronicles) –  In what is being described as unprecedented in the history of commercial aviation, a scheduled Philippine Air Lines (PAL) flight bound from Honolulu to Manila left with a full crew but  not a single passenger.

PR 101 was scheduled to take off at 11:10 a.m. on Monday from Honolulu International Airport. The Airbus A330 left after a 30-minute delay without a single paying passenger.

What puzzled airline officials and crew was that the original manifest showed a fully-booked flight.

When it was time for boarding, ground crew started noticing that no one was checking in at the gate.  Despite repeated announcements over the public address system that passengers needed to board the flight, not a single one did. The plane finally departed at 11:40 a.m. with only the crew on board.

The Adobo Chronicles caught up with many of the passengers who were holding boarding tickets to PR 101, many of them with their bags and balikbayan boxes in tow.

They said they decided not to board their flight for fear that they might be victimized by the reported laglag bala scheme at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).  The scheme involves bullets being ‘planted’ into the bags of unsuspecting passengers for the purpose of extortion by the perpetrators.

The passengers said they will re-schedule their trip only after they have been assured by Philippine government officials that the laglag bala scheme has been fully nipped in the bud.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that airline passengers going through NAIA have to wrap their bags and luggage in plastic just so they do not to fall prey to these unscrupulous schemers,” one Filipino long-time Hawaii resident said.

48 thoughts on “‘LAGLAG BALA’ AFTERMATH: MANILA-BOUND PHILIPPINE AIR LINES FLIGHT LEAVES HONOLULU EMPTY”

  2. PARA SA AKIN TAMA LANG NA I CANCEL ANG FLIGHT, KASI KUNG AKO ANG TATANUNGIN MGA KABAYAN KUNG SA TINGIN NG IBA AY GRABE NA NAMAN ANG I CANCEL ANG BUONG FLIGHT NILA? PARA SA AKIN? DAPAT LANG NA MATAKOT KA DAHIL ANG MAKULONG KA AT MAWALAN NG KINABUKASAN ANG TAO AT ANG BUONG PAMILYA? AY NAPAKALIIT NA BAGAY, DAHIL LAHAT NG MGA KURAKOT ANDYAN PARIN UNTOUCHABLE NGAYON PARANG HUGAS KAMAY LAHAT AT ITONG KUNWARI MGA MAY DALANG BALA AT SINASABING SA KANILA ANG BALA? PARANG KAHINA HINALA NAMAN SUNOD SUNOD YATA AT DI ALAM NA BAWAL? C’MON GUYS! AKO NA WALA SA PINAS ALAM KO SILA PA KAYA NA ANDYAN MISMO SA PINANGYARIHAN NG LAGLAG BALA? MGA BAYARAN DIN ANG MGA YAN PARA SABIHING DI TOTOO NA KURAKOT NGA ANG NAIA AT TALAMAK TALAGA ANG LAG LAG BALA.. SORRY SA CAPS LOCK DIKO PO KASI MAKITA PAG MALILIIT, PAUMANHIN PO SA LAHAT HA? GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

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  4. President Benigno Aquino made a big blunder for taking lightly the ‘ LAG-LAG BALA, KAWARTA NA ” scheme at Manila Airports. His Presidential Spokesperson Caloma also did the same thing. Mar Roxas just lost thousands of votes for such blunder.

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  5. *It is very embarrassing, and nauseating, to say the least, that such incidents, of laglag bala, are happening in the main doors of international ports. It is tainting the very image of the Philippine society in the world arena! What’s going on? Who are behind these atrocious acts? Can’t the authorities do anything to stop these and punish the perpetrators? Do something quick and decisive! Stop passing the blame to people. You who are in the airports should be the first to take the immediate action. If necessary, weed the agency of rotten elements quickly before it’s too late! A lot of revenues are being missed because of such anomalous schemes!

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  7. This is how Noynoy Aquino will end his term after all the “Tuwid Na Daan” insistence on social media (especially in Twitter). It’s not surprising because living in a make-believe world wouldn’t do good: the fruits speak of the quality of the tree.

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    2. I do not understand your statement. Are you saying that Noynoy is the tree? How is he the root of this problem? Did he order this people to do this deeds? I am pretty sure that the police department is the one liable for the apprehension of this people and not the president but most people assume that every tiny itsy bitsy thing that happens that didn’t go their way, we should always blame it on who ever is the president

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      2. How in this world can you find a President who has no brain??? Only in the Philippines..We know and everybody knows tanim bala is a scam and yet.. the abnormal President do not act on tanim bala scam. It’s as simple as issuing an executive order decriminalizing bullets found on passenger’s luggage.. that’s all and no problem..then if he wish the congress can re enact, repeal or revise the laws.

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  10. wake up Philippines how much empty planes costing more then 12k php your scamming for.. bullet no gun no charges get a clue welcome to the new world where ppl are the real reason you have your damn job no ppl no job go rob purses on your cycles

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  12. Pingback: Do you add your own milk at Starbucks? - Page 2 - Hong Kong Forums - GeoExpat.Com

  15. And yet we have a government that belittles the scheme saying it only affects very small percentage. Either this is the work of a syndicate or a heartless scheme of political enemies press releases like that show a callous government on the plight of its people.

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      1. I agree that the Philippines has corruption and must be stopped, but saying that it deserves all the negative karma is like placing everyone in the same umbrella, including those Filipinos who have nothing to do with it, even including Filipinos who also have been victimized by the same modus.

        I wouldn’t go that far.

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  17. I myself are planning to spent 6 months stay in the Philippines. That’s not gonna happen anytime sooner or later. I will stay put here in US. It is way much safer here. People there do some stupid things for just for fraction of money. Only in the Philippines. Authorities are so damn .. for just one bullet will shake your world… what damage can do to human for one bullet and no gun??does’nt make sense…

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    1. I was also planning to go on a 3-week vacation on mid-January 2016 not just to visit friends and family and go sightseeing but to also attend a much-awaited event in my alma mater. I have to abandon that idea now. Sayang….hope by Jan. 2017 everything’s settled and the rascals involved imprisoned.

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  18. The Aquino admin should expedite the investigation and suspend all people involved esp. the head of NAIA.
    I hope more Filipinos abroad temporarily stop travelling to Manila and also stop remitting $$ para matauhan ang govt. Utmost respect and consideration shouldbe given to these Filipinos helping their families & the Phil. economy at the same time.

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      2. The Liberal Party candidate says the bags are the persons responsibility and they should not smuggle a bullet. And now 4 Pinoys left Manila and got arrested in Hong Kong with 2.5 kilos of Coke that managed to get by the screeners.

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        2. It’s basically finger-pointing to avoid responsibility.
          It’s really obvious that security, law and order are functions of the government, and what he said really contradicts said functions. And he calls himself a Candidate?

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  21. The point that the author of this article, whether it is fake or not, was to emphasize and condemn the “lag-lag bala” extortion acts perpetrated by airport personnel. What is worst is the inability of authorities to stop this atrocious clandestine operation that is scaring many travelers leaving from or arriving in the Philippines. The fact of the matter is, and if common sense is unarbitrarily applied to these cases, how ludicrous for any traveler to put one “bullet” in his or her luggage knowing of the risk that can completely jeopardize their intended mission. I am absolutely sure that if such boycott to passenger airlines take effect even for just a week or a month, there would be immediate action by the authorities to stop this act of extortion.

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  22. I this news is fake, I don’t think people who’s booked already has the luxury not to take the flight, if there’s one then it would not be all unless this plane is booked for a group tour or something.

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    2. You have a very keen observation Mr. Bruce Rawlings. It only proves that the news is a hoax. Bad elements are now feasting to ride on the unparalleled issues in the Philippines. But nevertheless we cannot leave unfazed on this issues particularly the “lame-duck” Philippine administration to address this matter.

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    1. Philippine people are not in good situation. Even when calamity strikes, people can not rely on the government. Like what happened to the Billions of pesos that supposed to reach the calamity victims. Even material goods have rotten because they are not been distributed to people.

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