Philippine authorities speeds up investigations on alleged "Bullet Extortion"

Airport security guards were being accused of planting bullets in passengers' luggage at security checkpoints. They were also allegedly threatening them with charges of illegal possession of ammunition unless they pay a fine. In turn, Philippine authorities claimed that they will be speeding up the investigation in an alleged extortion racket in Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport as bullets were said to be found in passengers' bags.

As reported, Gloria Ortinez, a 56-year-old domestic worker, was stopped at the airport after a bullet was found in her carry-on luggage. She denied that she would carry any bullets and argued that it would've been detected at her departure airport, but she was still detained in the police station for several days.

Moreover, Kazunobu Sakamoto, a 33-year-old Japanese tourist, was also arrested after two bullets were discovered inside the pocket of a shirt folded in his luggage. According to the BBC, the two are the latest to complain that they have been victims of the so-called "bullet scam."

Office of Transportation Security and other involved agencies will merge their investigations and promised to issue a report by November 6, according to OTS spokesman Miguel Oraa."We are also alarmed, it could affect our tourism industry," Oraa stated in a phone interview. He added, "We will never condone or tolerate this from our people."

On October 25, another report by the Philippine Star claimed that another set of passengers was accused of bringing with them ammunition. It was a 35-year-old Japanese man heading home and a Philippine woman on her way to Hong Kong. They are the latest in a string of incidents reported since last month, though one lawmaker said there have been reports as far back as 2005. Another lawmaker said he was a victim in 2014.

The scam reportedly started in September as a 20-year-old American man was jailed for six days because he purportedly refused to pay a 30,000 peso bribe, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported. According to the same report, an American woman on a wheelchair also admitted that she had to pay 500 pesos to be let off after bullets were allegedly found in her bag.

OTS administrator Roland Recomono and the Department of Transportation did not answer any text messages seeking their comments about the allegations. The legislators in the Philippines have begun to speak out against the Office of Transportation Security workers. "This is becoming an international embarrassment," Sherwin Gatchalian, the vice-chairman of the tourism committee, said.

After the issue came flooding the tabloids and the Internet, investigations have since been launched and there has also been an increase in airport surveillance. The continuous reports also made the airport the target of complaints and jokes, including Internet memes, for poor and inadequate facilities and chronic delays in flights.