Iloilo Airport on heightened alert

ILOILO City – The Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan town has been on heightened alert for almost a month now.

According to Arthur Parreño, terminal supervisor and public information officer of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Iloilo, their central office ordered stricter security measures in all airports following a bombing incident in Lamitan, Basilan on July 31 that killed 11 people.

The Islamic State, in a statement carried by its news agency, claimed responsibility for the blast, describing it as a “suicide bombing.” However, both the military and police have yet to verify this, with officials saying the claim could simply be “terrorist propaganda.”

“The (CAAP) director general issued the order on heightened alert…for fear of a spillover of terroristic attacks in airports and other ports,” said Parreño.

The killing of eight New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Atabay, San Jose, Antique on Aug. 15 further prompted CAAP-Iloilo to bolster security measures at the airport, Parreño added.

Following the joint police and military operation in Barangay Atabay, the Police Regional Office 6 warned of possible reprisals from rebels.

According to Parreño, the airport now does not give allowance to airline passengers; they must be at the airport already checking in at least two hours before their flight, he stressed.

He also said all people and vehicles entering the airport premises were being inspected thoroughly.

“The heightened alert will continue until such time that the (CAAP) director general issues a memo lowering it down,” said Parreño.

At the airport gate, CAAP-Iloilo also posted additional security personnel.

To avoid delays due to the stringent checking of people, luggage and vehicles, it would be wise for airline passengers to be at the airport much earlier than their scheduled flights, said Parreño.

If possible, he added, private vehicles going to Cabatuan from Santa Barbara town should take the national highway and not the airport access road.

The private vehicles’ use of the airport access road cause traffic congestion on the road toward the airport, said Parreño.

SOURCE: Panay News

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