On Saturday, September 23, an explosion occurred at the parking area of Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 3 in Pasay City. According to reports, a molotov cocktail was thrown at the open parking lot in front of the airport, allegedly by an unidentified person. There were no reported injuries among civilians, but three vehicles were damaged.
Authorities are still investigating who carried out the attack. No one or any group has claimed responsibility for the attack as of this writing.
Airport police reported that the CCTVs outside and to the side of the airport have not been operational for more than a year. Southern Police Chief District Director General Roderick Mariano said that there was a guard house on the parking lot’s perimeter, but it was unmanned.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said that the groups that are opposed to the privatization of NAIA may be responsible for the attack. He added that “may mga vested interest yung iba-ibang grupo [these groups have vested interests]” regarding the government’s plan to privatize NAIA.
PSA notes that the incident at the NAIA could be considered an isolated case and does not appear to be related to terrorism. Early this year, passengers were left stranded in NAIA Terminal 3 due to an issue with air traffic control. The incident contributed to the resumption of talks about privatizing NAIA. Privatization talks are underway, with government policy towards Public Private Partnerships more favorable under the Marcos administration.
