Why Filipinos planning vacation back home want 'bullet-proof' bags

The Filipino community in the UAE getting ready for the next vacation season plan to pack their baggage in a ‘bullet-proof’ manner to avoid it being tampered at their home destination.

Last year, an alleged scam in the Philippines saw bullets dropped into the luggage of passengers as they went through airport security, sparking anger, fear and social media activism.

Despite a new president who promised a tough fight against crime and corruption – and a lot of discussion by the media and legislators – the bullet scam still haunts the expatriate community.

Last year, a number of incoming and outgoing passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, were detained for allegedly carrying bullets – it is illegal to carry live ammunition without license.

The victims claim that the bullets were planted by the airport staff in a bid to extort money. Called ‘tanim bala’ (planting bullets), passengers were faced with fines or even the possibility of being charged with the illegal possession of ammunition.

“Overseas Filipino Workers have been worried about what happened in our international airport last year. OFW voters were also angry that their kabayan boxes were subjected to strict customs check. These two problems along with other domestic reasons of criminality could have helped the new president get an overwhelming majority of OFW votes from the UAE,” said the Philippine Consul General in Dubai, Paul Raymund Cortes. The new president-elect got 85 per cent of OFW votes in Dubai.

Since the scam, the luggage wrapping service at Manila airport has flourished and OFWs are also availing of the facility in Dubai, Sharjah and other airports in the UAE. The bullet scam was also reported from other Airports like Cebu as well and in previous years too but the number shop up by end of 2015.

During his campaign, Rodrigo Duterte promised to make airport scammers who plant bullets in passenger bags swallow the planted bullets.

His promised crusade against corruption is one reason for his overwhelming support from the OFW. He had promised to act as a lawyer for the victims of such scams, according to media reports.

“The alleged bullet scam in the International Airport had created a sense of fear among the Overseas Filipinos because the airport staff was allegedly putting bullets in the luggage of the passengers, putting them in tough time, and a section of officials allegedly taking bribe to bail them out from the mess. The problem is now solved,” the Consul General revealed.  

Possession or purchase of firearms and ammunition, without license, is illegal in the Philippines. Between January and November 2015, 30 such cases were reported.  

While officials said an investigation was going on and these are isolated cases, the fear among OFWs is returning as they prepare for the next vacation season.

According to earlier media reports, many OFWs travelling through the airport were either detained or arrested after X-Ray machines detected bullets in their luggage.

It has been alleged that the live ammunition were planted inside the unsuspecting passengers’ luggage by the airport security staff, who then used it to extract money or threaten to press criminal charges against them.

“When I go to Manila from Dubai, all my luggage is tightly wrapped with the plastic wrapping machine. I put several layers of plastic wrapping to ensure that nobody tampers with my luggage or put some cartridges or other illegal items inside the checked in or hand luggage,” said Michael, a Filipino living in Dubai.

Experts have advised passengers to use hard case luggage and avoid luggage with external pockets, wrapping the entire bag in cling film, and calling in witnesses, lawyers and airport supervisors if security insists on going through any bags.

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