IN BRIEF

CAAP says airport maintenance successful

Maintenance work at the country’s Air Traffic Management Center on Wednesday was successful, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). Airport operations went to normal after the activity scheduled from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. was accomplished in just over an hour – 2 a.m. to 3:13 a.m. The work was made to avoid a repeat of the infamous New Year’s Day airspace shutdown.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the “corrective maintenance activity” also did not affect the country’s airspace. It added air traffic controllers reported no flight disruptions during the maintenance operation.

He added the agency promptly notified Manila Tower of the completion of the maintenance activity.

“Personnel manning the Communications Navigation Surveillance Systems (CNSS) and Air Navigation Service (ANS) reported normal operations at the ATMC. Continuous monitoring and finetuning of the CNSS and ANS are being undertaken to ensure the unimpeded operations of airports throughout the country,” Apolonio said.

The CAAP said it extends its appreciation for the understanding and cooperation of various aviation stakeholders, highlighting the importance of seamless air traffic management in compliance to the highest standards of safety and efficiency. Joel E. Zurbano

Agents seize bag with P19m shabu in NAIA

Government agents on Wednesday intercepted a backpack containing P19 million worth of prohibited substance at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Personnel from the Customs X-ray Inspection Project (XIP) detected the content of the abandoned bag at NAIA Terminal 1 and later found 2.8 kilos of shabu.

“The bag was subjected to X-ray machine scanning which yielded images of suspected dangerous drugs, prompting us to place it under 100 percent physical examination,” an XIP officer told Manila Standard.

Initial investigation showed that the baggage arrived at the Manila airport from Bangkok via Philippine Airlines flight PR 737 coming from Addis Ababa as port of origin.

Aside from the illegal drugs, the authorities also found assorted clothes, personal belongings, and hard tools inside the big back pack. Port of NAIA officials immediately turned over the prohibited substance to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for custody and proper disposition.

Just recently, Customs agents seized a parcel containing five kilos of smuggled dried opium poppy buds from Spain.

The authorities also arrested Amandeep Singh, 37, of Barangay Burol, Dasmariñas, Cavite, after claiming the shipment at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City. Joel Zurbano