OFFICIALS of the Miascor Ground Handling, whose contract was shelved after some of its employees got involved in alleged baggage theft at the airports, are hoping President Rodrigo Duterte would allow the firm to continue its service.
“Everybody is hoping that the President will hear our side of the story and the appeal that we are conveying is mainly for forgiveness for whatever mistakes some of our employees have committed and the kindness of the President to allow us to continue,” said Miascor Fidel Herman Reyes in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal said the leasing and concession contract of Miascor with the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was not renewed following its expiration last year.
Monreal made the announcement few days after a returning Filipino overseas worker claimed his luggage was pilfered at Clark International Airport.
Five employees of the firm were suspended and placed under investigation in connection with the case.
In August 2016, four Miascor employees were also involved in theft involving pieces of jewelry owned by the wife of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
“If we dig deeper into these incidents, these are isolated incidents and Miascor, [has been] portrayed as a villain in this isolated incident,” said Reyes.
“These two, three incidents were highlighted but I would like to dwell is (sic) what’s not captured in social media or mainstream media that Miascor has been doing all along,” he said.
Reyes said the company terminated erring employees even before the incidents were reported to the President.
Monreal already formed a special team from the agency’s police department tasked to wipe out erring individuals engaged in baggage theft.
He hinted that airport baggage handlers did the wrongdoing in cahoots with other airport employees. “They’re not doing it without the help of other workers who are now the subjects of our [surveillance]operation.”
Monreal also ordered all baggage handlers and security providers at the airport to wear body cameras while on duty to prevent incidents of baggage theft.
In Naia alone, some 26 pilferage cases were reported in 2016 and 18 of them reportedly done by ground handlers of Miascor.
The number of pilferage cases has been reduced from 26 to seven last year.