Palace: Marcos to order probe of latest case of ‘tanim-bala’ at Naia
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro during a press briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) on March 3, 2025. | PHOTO: Screengrab from RTVM
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will order an investigation into the recent alleged “tanim-bala” (bullet-planting) scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, according to Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro.
At a Palace briefing on Monday, Castro was asked for Marcos’ reaction and directive regarding the incident.
“Ito po talaga ay paiimbestigahan ng pangulo at sa tulong na rin po ni DOTr [Department of Transportation] Secretary Vince Dizon,” she responded.
(This will really be ordered investigated by the President and with the help of DOTr [Department of Transportation] Secretary Vince Dizon.)
“Kung mga turista po o mga kapwa Pilipino natin ang magiging biktima nito, hindi po ito papayagan ng pangulo, so dapat may managot kung mayroong dapat managot after thorough imbestigation,” Castro also said.
(If tourists or our fellow Filipinos become victims of this, the President will not allow it, so someone must be held accountable if there is someone who should be held accountable after a thorough investigation.)
READ: DOTr chief sacks 3 transport personnel over ‘tanim-bala’ modus
On March 6, 69-year-old Ruth Adel was accused by DOTr’s Office of Transport Security (OTS) personnel of carrying a bullet in her luggage, an incident that nearly caused her to miss her flight to Vietnam.
The three OTS personnel involved were already ordered terminated by Dizon early Monday.
