“I will not tolerate corruption. I want corruptless efficiency as hallmark of my stint in the bureau,” Lina said in an interview with local media during the second general membership meeting of the Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA) in this freeport.
Lina cited reports from the Korean community leaders that many of their compatriots now prefer landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) despite having Angeles as their destination, because of fear of harassment and extortion allegedly by some BoC personnel assigned at the Clark airport.
Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President Emigdio Tanjuatco confirmed to Lina that the Korean community in Angeles had brought up the issue with him.
Members of the Korean community also earlier sought the help of Angeles Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan about the harassment and extortion by BoC personnel at the Clark airport. They asked not to be named for fear of further harassment.
They said that the personnel single them out and offer to facilitate the release of their luggage if they pay P2,000. Otherwise, their bags would be manually inspected even after these have passed through x-ray machines.
“Sometimes, they also take away any item they like from our luggage,” one of the Koreans said.
The Koreans said that many of the victims were “first timers” in the Philippines, who could not speak in English.
“They give in to the demands out of fear and confusion,” one of them noted.
Tanjuatco said he plans to designate a permanent interpreter to help Koreans at the airport here. He also said he has already ordered the intallation of CCTV cameras in areas where arriving passengers come into contact with BoC personnel at the airport.
