A screening officer at Manila’s international airport was filmed eating $300 (RM1,406) in cash seized from a passenger’s wallet.
An airport security camera captured the cop, known as Irency Morados, stuffing $300 in cash into her mouth.
She is then seen drinking from a water bottle that body scan operator Regino Allen has provided to her.
Her supervisor, Abraham de Luna, could also be seen conversing with her while she looked to be choking from eating the banknotes and covering her mouth with a cloth.
The incident happened on Sept 8.
According to the Office for Transportation Security (OTS), the money came from a passenger’s wallet, who handed over his shoulder bag to Morados before undergoing a full-body scan.
However, the passenger discovered that his wallet was open with money gone and approached people at the screening area.
Morados then turned aside and began swallowing the cash “to avoid being caught,” according to the OTS investigation.
But she didn’t realize she had turned her back on a security camera while cramming the money into her mouth.
According to the OTS, her supervisor was suspected of being involved in the scam since he approached Morados to “apparently ensure that the bills are dispatched to preclude any evidence.”
Philippine airport authorities ordered that charges be filed against Morados.
Transportation Minister Jaime Bautista said he was seeking the “maximum penalty” against Morados.
This is the third highly publicised incident of theft at Manila’s airport in 2023. Earlier in 2023, airport security personnel were found stealing money from a Thai tourist.
Five days later, another screening officer was arrested for stealing a Chinese passenger’s watch.
In response to these thefts, the OTS ordered its personnel to stop wearing jackets and remove pockets from their uniforms.
Watch the video of the latest theft below.
