A Filipino content creator from Madrid, Spain allegedly fell victim to "bukas-maleta" thieves, Darlene Cay reported Friday on "Unang Balita".
Around P200,000 in luxury goods were taken from victim Ady Cotoco's luggage, including expensive shoes, bags, perfumes, and clothes.
According to Cotoco, he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on an Etihad Airways flight.
He was not sure where he lost the valuables but said he only found the locks of his luggage opened with one of them almost empty.
Most of the stolen goods, Catoco added, were his gifts for his relatives.
"I was really traumatized kasi for the first time in 23 years that I have been travelling first time siya nangyari sa akin. What if this happens to our fellow Filipinos na talagang pinaghirapan nila 'yung perang 'yun, binili nila for their loved ones and bigla na lang ninakaw ng ibang tao," he said.
(I was traumatized because, for the first time in 23 years that I've been traveling, it happened to me. What if this happens to our fellow Filipinos who worked hard for their money and their presents for their loved ones are stolen?")
Catoco further said he was unaware if the luxury goods were stolen in the Philippines, adding it could have been in Spain or during his layover in Abu Dhabi.
The incident was already reported to the management of the NAIA and Etihad Airways, the report said.
"We are aware of this case and the team is looking into it and investigating the matter," Etihad told GMA News.
For its part, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) apologized for the incident but said an investigation showed the victim's luggage was not broken into at the NAIA.
"An all-night investigation conducted by MIAA and Etihad through a review of various CCTV footages revealed that the luggage tampering could not have happened at NAIA Terminal 3 but at foreign airports where passengers made stop-overs en route to Manila," it said in a statement.
"We expect Etihad Airways to extend immediate assistance to the passenger while the investigation continues," it added. — Sundy Locus/DVM, GMA News