House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is seeking the immediate resignation of Office of Transport Security (OTS) Ma. O Aplasca due to his failure to put a stop to the series of theft incidents involving security screening officers under his office, with a threat that he would block the OTS budget if its chief chooses not to resign.
Romualdez, in a statement, stressed that Aplasca should resign by virtue of ‘command responsibility’ so that a full revamp of OTS personnel can be done at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals.
The Speaker advised Aplasca to submit his courtesy resignation before the House of Representatives tackles the budget of his office, with a threat that he (Romualdez) himself will block the approval of the OTS budget.
Romualdez notes that there have been several incidents of theft involving the OTS personnel under Aplasca’s administration.
“We are already fed up with these reports of stealing and other acts of wrongdoing at the airport, for which OTS officials and their DOTr supervisors are ultimately responsible. A top-to-bottom overhaul is needed,” he said.
“We cannot let these atrocious activities and other acts of misconduct at the airport to continue to take place. It’s bad for the country and the economy,” he added.
According to Romualdez, the Upper House had recommended a complete overhaul of the OTS as early as March this year, following the viral incident of a Thai tourist demanding for the return of the money taken from him by OTS personnel.
