Arroyo makes surprise inspection at NAIA

To drive home the need for security following last week's Glorietta 2 blast, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo made a surprise inspection of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Monday afternoon. A Malacañang statement said President Arroyo made the inspection at the NAIA Terminal 2 after emerging from the Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane that took her back to Manila from her provincial visits to Albay and Catanduanes in Bicol. She entered Bay 43 of the Centennial terminal where she was met by Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan and NAIA assistant manager for security and emergency services Angel Atutubo. First to be inspected was the final X-ray machine where passengers's non-checked-in baggage are inspected for any liquid or aerosol containers containing more than 10 ml. Mrs Arroyo then proceeded to inspect the pre-departure area, where the first set of X-ray machines check on departing passengers's'entire luggage. Atutubo said Mrs Arroyo asked him if the NAIA has enough security provisions for the entire airport complex, which also covers Villamor Air Base, the surrounding subdivisions, and up to the South Luzon Expressway. Atutubo said he assured the President the airport is ready for any emergency with an additional force of 1,500, including augmentation from the Philippine Air Force (PAF), whose headquarters is just across the NAIA 2 runways. The airport complex �normally has around 2,500 security men at any one time, including some 600 PAF soldiers and 1,000 policemen, plus security guards, he said. "We have also intensified canine patrol," he said, noting these are from the airport's usual eight canines, plus those brought by the Presidential Security Group (PSG). Atutubo noted that earlier in the day, former professional basketball player Emmanuel "Manny" Victorino was held at the airport for carrying seven cal-.38 bullets in his baggage. - GMANews.TV