Tag Archives: laglag bala

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.

Government, International, Law Enforcement, Travel

PHILIPPINES TO IMPORT 500 TONS OF PLASTIC WRAP TO KEEP UP WITH HIGH DEMAND AT MANILA’S AIRPORT

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imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The government of Philippines President NoyNoy Aquino has confirmed that it will be importing 500 tons (one million pounds) of plastic wrap from various international sources to keep up with increasing demand for the product at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport ( NAIA).

NAIA has been in the headlines recently because of a scheme called laglag bala or tanim bala in which incoming and outgoing passengers at are being questioned and detained for bullets found in their luggage as they pass through airport security. It is alleged that the bullets are being planted by airport personnel with the intent of extorting money from the unsuspecting passengers.

Passengers have resorted to wrapping their checked-in and carry-on luggage with plastic as a way of securing them from airport schemers. image

Some 33 Million passengers go through NAIA each year.  With such high volume of passengers, local manufacturers of plastic wrap just can’t keep up with the increased demand.

Plastic wrap imports from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Japan are expected to start arriving in the next two weeks, just in time for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Meeting to be held in Manila.

Government, International, Law Enforcement, Travel

STATE DEPARTMENT ADVISES OBAMA TO WRAP HIS BRIEFCASE WHEN HE VISITS THE PHILIPPINES FOR THE APEC SUMMIT

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imageWASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) –  U.S. President Barack Obama is just one of the many dignitaries confirmed to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held this month in Manila, Philippines.

Recent  developments at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have sent chills to the international community and has prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a travel advisory to Americans traveling to the Philippines, including Obama.

NAIA has been in the headlines recently because of a scheme called laglag bala  or tanim bala in which incoming and outgoing passengers at NAIA are being detained for bullets found in their luggage as they pass through airport security.  It is alleged that the bullets are being planted by airport personnel with the intent of extorting money from the unsuspecting passengers.

Obama is known to want to carry his own overnight bag and briefcase whenever he travels to other countries.

The State Department has therefore advised Obama to wrap his briefcase with plastic when he arrives in and departs from Manila so that he is not victimized by the laglag bala schemers.

Many passengers flying in and out of NAIA have resorted to wrapping their luggage and carry-on bags with plastic to prevent the schemers from planting bullets without their knowledge.