MANILA, Philippines — What was supposed to be a routine airport pickup became a footchase on Wednesday afternoon, ending with the arrest of the suspect.
The man, 35, managed to sneak inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) by scaling a perimeter fence and running onto Runway 06, prompting airport security guards to chase and apprehend tthe suspect
According to the PNP Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup), the intruder gained access by jumping over a fence located near the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Paranaque City.
During questioning, the man claimed he had gone to the airport to pick up his wife, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) returning from Austria.
He told police that he was walking near the Duty Free Fiesta Mall when he sensed he was being followed. Panicking, he quickly scaled the perimeter fence and jumped into the airport's restricted area.
Despite the serious security breach, authorities allowed him to briefly reunite with his wife.
A police background check cleared the suspect of any derogatory record. However, the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) intends to file criminal charges for unauthorized entry.
The suspect remains in the custody of the Avsegroup at Terminal 1.
The NNIC, meanwhile, assured the public that airport security protocols were effective and the incident was handled swiftly, causing no threat to aircraft or disruption to standard operations.
