HK-bound FDH falls victim to ‘tanim bala’

By

Bing R. Jabadan

A domestic worker bound for Hong Kong was prevented from leaving the Philippines after security personnel found a bullet in her bag.

Members of the Office for Transportation Security [OTS] claimed that they found a bullet of a Carbine rifle in her hand carry bag on Sunday afternoon at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 2.  

Gloria Ortinez, 56, claimed that she was a victim of “tanim bala” (bullet planting) when she arrived at the NAIA terminal 4 at 4:30 p.m. from Laoag International Airport on October 25, 2015.

She said she transferred to NAIA Terminal 2 for her supposed 7:00 p.m. flight for Hong Kong when OTS personnel allegedly planted a bullet of carbine rifle in her hand carry bag when it went through the x-ray machine at the NAIA Terminal 2 departure area.

Ortinez said all her life she had never seen a bullet of a Carbine rifle and she worked in Hong Kong for more than 20 years as domestic helper.

“God knows that I am a victim of “’tanim bala’ modus in the airport by these unscrupulous OTS personnel who only want to earn easy money by way of extorting from their innocent victim,” said Ortinez.

PNP-Aviation Security Group Director Police chief Supt. Pablo Francisco Balagtas said the live bullet wrapped in a red textile commonly used as an amulet or lucky charm was seized in the hand carry bag of the victim by the OTS personnel.

But the victim insisted that the bullet did not belong to her and it was only  planted.

She claimed that she travelled to Hong Kong for the past 20 years and she knew that bullets are strictly prohibited at the Hong Kong airport.

“At the price of executing me and my family by firing squad, my conscience is clear that the bullet was not mine,” said Ortinez.

Ortinez was detained after the PNP AVESEU-NCR filed an illegal possession of live ammunition against her before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office on Monday afternoon.

The victim is languishing behind bars after she failed to post a bail of P80,000 for her temporary liberty.