Authorities urge the public to refrain from spreading false information about security threats at Ninoy Aquino International Airport to prevent panic or inconvenience among travelers.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) raised the appeal following reports that a 65-year-old homeless man in Pasay City was injured after a vape device, initially reported as an improvised bomb, exploded near the compound of NAIA Terminal 1 last Saturday.
“Airport Police said that no other damage was reported. The victim was immediately brought to the Aviation Security Group, where he received medical attention for his injuries,” the MIAA said.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) confirmed that the explosion near the NAIA compound in Paranaque City was not an improvised bomb but a vape canister.
Investigation showed that the man Romeo Soriano found a vape canister in a garbage bin and attempted to dismantle it. He then tried to burn the canister, causing it to explode. Soriano suffered a minor abrasion on his right face.
The Aviation police cleared the area at around 4 p.m. and personnel from the Special Operations Unit and Mobile Patrol Security Unit provided police presence and security.
“The public can be assured that the police force, swiftly responds to any reported threats. I urge the public to stay calm, alert, and vigilant. They may report any suspicious person, behavior, or unattended items to the barangay or nearest police station to be handled and addressed accordingly,” said NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.
The incident came a day after NAIA and 41 other commercial airports in the Philippines were placed under heightened alert due to various bomb threats. More patrols and K9 units have been dispatched to ensure passenger safety.
MIAA officials recently filed criminal charges against a former taxi driver responsible in the Molotov cocktail explosion at the parking lot of Terminal 3. The incident caused damage to three vehicles parked in
A concerned informant provided crucial information about the incident, leading to the identification of Renieldo Dela Peña Perez, also known as “Bolayog,” as the perpetrator. Perez surrendered to the police and admitted to throwing the device, which he claimed, he assembled using gasoline.
Police describe a Molotov bomb or cocktail as an improvised incendiary firebomb, where a flammable item is placed inside a breakable fuel bottle, usually petrol or alcohol, lit just before being thrown.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government came up with a statement on the matter, saying the public “has nothing to worry about.”
“The Philippine National Police (PNP), in coordination with other government agencies, are on top of the matter. The DILG assures the public that our communities are safe and secure,” it stated.