MIAA Orders Airport Police to Vacate Offices at NAIA Terminals for NICC

MIAA GM Eric Jose C. Ines

MIAA Orders Airport Police to Vacate Offices at NAIA Terminals for NICC

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | March 2, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The operational integrity and regulatory independence of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), the state-run entity managing the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), are currently facing intense scrutiny.

A controversial directive mandating the relocation of the Airport Police Department (APD) from key terminals, coupled with serious allegations of systemic corruption within the APD, raises profound questions about MIAA’s capacity to uphold its vital mandate.

This situation is particularly critical as MIAA oversees the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), its private sector partner in the airport’s modernization, and places MIAA’s future effectiveness under a critical lens for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.

MIAA: Dual Mandate as Operator and Regulator

Established in 1982 by Executive Order No. 778, MIAA’s foundational mission encompasses the comprehensive operation and management of NAIA. This includes significant police authority over the entire airport complex, crucial for ensuring a safe and secure environment for millions of passengers and personnel.

At the core of this function is the Airport Police Department (APD), which operates under the Airport Security Center and reports directly to the MIAA General Manager. The APD is statutorily responsible for maintaining security, enforcing laws, and managing traffic within airport premises, serving as a critical pillar of law enforcement and accountability that reflects MIAA’s commitment to public safety.

Controversial Relocation Order Sparks Debate

A memorandum issued by MIAA General Manager Eric Jose C. Ines on February 23, 2026, and set for implementation on April 1, 2026, has ignited significant controversy.

The directive mandates the complete withdrawal of all APD personnel from their long-established posts within NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3, requiring their return to APD Headquarters and the vacating of their existing office spaces.

Crucially, these vacated premises are specifically designated for use by the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), MIAA’s private sector partner in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for NAIA’s modernization.

The directive also stipulates the construction of “makeshift offices” within the terminals for complaint reception and report lodging, and the wholesale relocation of APD office assets.

General Manager Ines publicly rationalized this directive in a radio interview, citing three key points:

NNIC Space Requirements:

The primary justification was the necessity to accommodate NNIC’s operational needs by relinquishing existing APD office spaces.

Misconduct Allegations

Concerns were raised regarding alleged misconduct by APD personnel, with Ines stating the offices were used as a “hangout” and personnel were “clocking in and not performing duty.”

Corruption Accusations

Most gravely, direct allegations of corruption were leveled against some APD personnel, with Ines specifically accusing them of acting as “protectors of colorum taxis.” He further asserted, “we are arresting these individuals and filing cases in court.”

Unveiling Corruption: The “Colorum” Taxi Racket

General Manager Ines’s public accusations gain disturbing gravity from corroborating, albeit anonymous, testimony obtained for this report. A “colorum” (unregistered/illegal) taxi driver, interviewed under anonymity, alleged a systematic and deeply entrenched scheme where certain APD personnel permit unauthorized vehicles to pick up passengers at NAIA terminals in exchange for a fee of P500.00 per trip. If independently verified, this testimony points to deep-seated corruption within a vital law enforcement unit, potentially undermining not only security and order at a crucial national gateway but also eroding public trust in institutions meant to protect them. This alleged scheme highlights a potential breakdown in internal controls and ethical conduct within a department directly responsible for maintaining the rule of law at the nation’s primary international port of entry.

MIAA’s Regulatory Impartiality Under Threat

A paramount concern arising from these developments is the potential for severe compromise of MIAA’s statutorily designated role as the independent regulatory body overseeing NNIC’s compliance with the comprehensive PPP agreement. MIAA’s mandate extends beyond mere airport operation; it is fundamentally tasked with regulating and independently overseeing its private partners to ensure adherence to contractual obligations, safety standards, and operational efficiency.

Ines’s decision to reassign critical APD infrastructure, explicitly to accommodate NNIC’s operational needs, could be perceived as an act of facilitation rather than an impartial regulatory decision. Such a move risks blurring the crucial lines between an independent regulator and an entity primarily focused on the operational imperatives of its concessionaire.

Furthermore, observations of General Manager Ines conducting “round inspections” alongside President Marcos Jr. and NNIC Chairman Ramon Ang during their visits suggest a close operational synergy with NNIC. While collaboration is necessary, this perceived proximity could further complicate the perception of MIAA’s regulatory detachment.

Should MIAA’s leadership be perceived as prioritizing the operational desires or requests of NNIC over its own internal law enforcement and security infrastructure, it could severely undermine its capacity to objectively regulate NNIC’s performance and compliance with the PPP agreement. This situation presents a significant potential conflict of interest, where the very entity mandated to regulate appears to actively facilitate the operational imperatives of the regulated party, potentially at the expense of its own core functions and independence.

Implications for MIAA’s Mandate and Presidential Review

The confluence of General Manager Ines’s directive, the accompanying serious corruption allegations, and the perceived accommodation of NNIC strongly suggests a potential weakening in MIAA’s ability to effectively fulfill its comprehensive and dual mandate. This situation demands a critical re-evaluation of MIAA’s operational integrity and strategic direction:

Internal Control Deficiencies

Accusations of APD personnel misconduct and alleged involvement in illicit “colorum” taxi operations point to systemic failures in internal control, supervision, and accountability within MIAA’s directly managed police department.

Compromised Security and Erosion of Public Trust

Corruption within the airport police not only enables illegal activities to flourish but also directly threatens overall airport security protocols and erodes public confidence in a critical government institution responsible for national security and the nation’s international reputation. An airport police force compromised by internal corruption becomes a vulnerability, not a strength.

Threat to Regulatory Independence

MIAA’s independence as a regulator of NNIC appears fundamentally challenged if its decisions, particularly those concerning the deployment and infrastructure of its own law enforcement arm, are primarily driven by the operational requirements of the private concessionaire it is tasked to oversee. This jeopardizes the very mechanism designed to ensure fair play, accountability, and public interest protection within the PPP.

Call for Presidential Intervention

The current state of affairs at NAIA, as highlighted by General Manager Ines’s directive and public statements, reveals a complex web of operational challenges, grave allegations of corruption, and significant regulatory vulnerabilities within the Manila International Airport Authority.

A central question demanding immediate and unequivocal answers is whether MIAA, under its current leadership, can effectively fulfill its dual and comprehensive mandate as both operator and independent regulator of NAIA, particularly concerning critical law enforcement functions and the robust oversight of its strategic partnership with NNIC.

Given that General Manager Ines is a handpicked appointee of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and NNIC Chairman Ramon A. Ang is known to have close ties with the President, stakeholders are keenly watching whether the administration will take swift and decisive action to address these pressing concerns. Considering the gravity of the allegations, the potential for compromised security at a vital national gateway, and the substantial financial and strategic implications of the NAIA PPP, it is imperative that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. initiate a thorough, independent, and comprehensive investigation into MIAA’s operational integrity and regulatory effectiveness.