PASAY CITY — Three Chinese men were intercepted at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on allegations of stealing from passengers aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur.
According to Philippines News Agency, Bureau of Immigration (BI) officer-in-charge Joel Anthony Viado reported that the suspects, identified as Lyu Shuiming, 48; Xu Xianpu, 41; and Xie Xiaoyong, 54, were apprehended after allegedly removing a handbag containing approximately PHP63,000 in cash from the overhead storage of a flight. The bag belonged to a female judge who was traveling with two lawyers. The incident was reportedly spotted by a flight attendant, leading to the suspects’ capture upon landing at NAIA Terminal 3 on September 15.
Lyu was arrested by officers from the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP AVSEGROUP), while Xu and Xie, who were transiting through the Philippines en route to Hong Kong, were permitted to continue their journey. Despite this, all three have been recommended for inclusion in the BI’s blacklist to prevent further entries into the Philippines.
Viado praised the efforts of the airline staff and PNP AVSEGROUP in handling the situation promptly and assured that the BI would continue to monitor the case and take necessary actions against those compromising the safety and security of travelers in the country.