"Manilla airport security chief resigns from post"

Monday, March 31, 2003

NAIA security chief resigns from post
By RECTO MERCENE
Phillipines - ABS CBN News


Retired general Miguel Hinlo ends Tuesday his 14-month stint as chief of
airport security and emergency services at the Ninoy Aquino International
Airport (NAIA) -- exactly one week after President Arroyo publicly scolded
airport officials for lax security in the perimeter areas .

Hinlo said as early as last month, airport general manager Edgardo Manda
told him that President Arroyo had chosen a replacement for him.

“He [Manda] told me frankly: ‘I got a call from President Arroyo that they
will bring someone here to replace you,’” Hinlo said in an interview.

Mrs. Arroyo scolded airport officials, including Manda and the rest of the
Aviation Security Guard (ASG) and the NAIA police, when she inspected the
airport and discovered that, while the interior of the airport is subjected
to strict security measures, the parking lot is ill-secured and a car bomb
could be planted by terrorists.

The President blew her top during the visit, counting five vehicles that
passed her by without being flagged down by the police for inspection.

As a result of the incident, airport officials followed strictly the
President’s order to “inspect all cars” at a checkpoint approaching the
airport, creating huge traffic jams that caused passengers to either miss
their flights or suffer extreme anxiety.

Hinlo explained Monday the President had apparently misinterpreted the
situation, having been positioned in a spot where cars that passed by had
already been checked at an earlier place -- hence, they were no longer
checked again.

Hinlo said his resignation came much earlier than the visit, adding that he
told Manda in March that he would stay until the end of March only to wrap
things up.

On March 28 Manda called a meeting where he announced that Hinlo is leaving
the service without reservation.

“I am just a soldier, if you tell me to get out of the room, if you tell me
to squat, I’ll follow,” Hinlo said.

Hinlo said he doesn’t mind leaving since this is the fourth time he will be
resigning since leaving the Air Force where he used to be a spokesman and
chief of the 100th Training Wing, the military’s flying school in Lipa City,
Batangas.

He used to be chief of staff of then-executive secretary Renato de Villa in
Malacañang, who resigned following a heart surgery. Hinlo stayed on as chief
of staff of Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo before accepting the airport
post.

He wrote Manda to officially submit his resignation: “This is to give you
the latitude and free hand to look for people who deserve your trust and
confidence,” Hinlo said.

Airport sources said Hinlo’s resignation was preceded by the reassignment of
former airport police chief Peter Mutuc to his old job. Hinlo had previously
complained that Mutuc is encroaching on his job as security chief.

Several close associates of Hinlo were also sacked, apparently in
preparation for airport revamp.

Hermie Castillo, NAIA assistant general manager for finance and
administration, was downgraded to project manager for NAIA Terminal 3, which
is not yet operational.

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