MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he would fire airport officials if another baggage pilferage incident happens at the Clark International Airport.

Duterte issued this threat as he met in Malacañang with Clark airport officials and Jovinal Dela Cruz and Rosemary Versoza, two overseas Filipino workers who were alleged victims of baggage pilferage at the Clark International Airport.

“The next time, if it happens, I will fire you. Sigurado ‘yan. Basta may nangyari pa ulit na maski nakawan o ano, I will fire you,” Duterte said.

“For the other airports in the country, I do not want it repeated ever again.”

The President said the pilferage incident, which allegedly involved 6 Miascor Aviation Services employees, was “unsettling” since he made a “passionate and solemn” vow to stop all kinds of pilferage and extortion activities at the country’s airports.

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“Very unsettling kasi sa akin ‘yan after making that passionate and solemn promise that everything sa airport, lalo na sa maliit, lalo na sa maliit na tao,” Duterte said during his meeting with Dela Cruz, Versoza and Clark airport officials.

“I would also demand that the airport authorities should call the complainant and make amends, maybe in public to apologize for the sloppy job that we are doing.”

Duterte then threatened to have the services of Miascor terminated.

“I would demand that there will be justice instantly. Kung sino ‘yung provider, service provider diyan, you terminate the contract and look for another one. And so for the other airports in the country, I do not want it repeated ever again,” he said.

The Clark International Airport Corporation has filed theft charges against the six Miascor employees, who were also terminated from work.

The charges were filed after the baggage of and balikbayan box of Dela Cruz were allegedly pilfered inside the Miascor office at the terminal.

Clark International Airport Corp. Acting President Alexander Cauguiran said the Miascor employees admitted to pilfering the baggage.

“Ang MIASCOR po at naatasan natin mag-conduct ng investigation dahil alam natin na empleyado nila ang nakakakita lang sa bagahe. So madali pong napa-amin. Inamin naman nila sa imbestigasyon. So kinabukasan, nag-file po kami ng --- pina-terminate na namin po at at the same time, pina-demanda,” Cauguiran said.