Philippines puts 42 airports on heightened alert following bomb warnings
The Philippines has placed 42 airports on heightened alert following a series of warnings that bombs could be set off on planes, its civil aviation authority said on Friday.
“Immediate enhanced security measures” were being implemented across all Philippine commercial airports, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said in a media advisory, adding the warnings were being verified.
It was not immediately clear when the threats, which came via email, were issued.
It said the flights identified were headed to Cebu, Bicol, Davao and Palawan.
On Friday, the aviation regulator released to media an Oct. 4 memo of the order given to airport security managers to beef up security, thoroughly inspect baggage and conduct round-the-clock surveillance after receiving the email threat.
The Oct. 4 memo included a screenshot of what it said was the threat, which did not contain the word “bomb” but said “an airplane will explode” at Manila’s international airport today and “please beware”.
“Cebu, Palawan, Bicol and Davao will also be hit”, the anonymous email said.
A source at Philippines Airlines, who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said the flag carrier was operating “business as usual”.
A spokesperson at Cebu Pacific Air said the airline was “following usual protocols”.
Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said patrols had been increased and K9 units deployed at all terminals of Manila’s international airport, and law enforcement agencies were coordinating closely.
“There is no expected impact to any scheduled flights and we would like to ensure the traveling public that protocols are in place to ensure everyone’s safety and security,” Mr. Bautista said in a statement.— Reuters
