MANILA, 3 November 2006 — An immigration officer had been relieved of his post at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for rude behavior, officials said yesterday
Immigration chief Alipio Fernandez Jr. said he has placed Edgar Padlan on “floating status” and told him to explain why he should not be charged administratively for berating a passenger who protested when a foreigner was allowed to jump the line of passengers at the NAIA on Wednesday.
The passenger whom Padlan abused turned out to be Evangeline Lourdes “Luli” Arroyo, the low-profile daughter of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Reports said that Luli, who was traveling to Hong Kong with a sister-in-law and a niece, fell in line at the special lane for diplomats and VIPs even though she could have skipped the queue as others of her stature would have done. While she and others were waiting for their turn, a foreign passenger (a Korean) dashed to the front and Padlan processed his travel documents.
Luli reportedly asked the officer in a nice way why he allowed that passenger to jump the queue and she was berated in return.
“Can’t you wait?” Padlan was quoted as saying in an angry tone.
“Why are you scolding us Filipinos and not the foreigner who jumped the queue?” Luli was quoted as saying.
A report by the Inquirer, quoting NAIA sources, said other officers tried to get Padlan’s attention to tell him that he was talking to the president’s daughter, to no avail. “He was completely clueless who Luli was. Supposedly, he even told Luli that she shouldn’t be in that lane because it was reserved for diplomats and VIPs,” an unidentified official told the Inquirer.
A higher official later on explained to the president’s daughter that the other passenger was allowed to jump the queue because he was already late for his flight.
Luli replied she only needed a proper explanation to passengers waiting in line.
In a letter reported by the Philippine Star, Luli clarified that Padlan was not relieved from his post because he scolded her but for allowing someone, a Korean, to cut into the line and also to enter his booth, all against immigration rules. She said she told Padlan that allowing someone into his booth might give the impression that some people can get special treatment in exchange for a bribe.
Luli said Padlan just dismissed her arguments even as she explained to him that he should not have allowed anyone to cut the line because other passengers were inconvenienced, including her pregnant sister-in-law.
Ferdinand Sampol, head immigration supervisor at the NAIA, was quoted as saying the officer was wrong. “It was unacceptable. Immigration officers should not be rude or arrogant to any passenger, whether they are members of the first family or regular people,” Sampol said.
