Philippines fires 5 airport security officers for stealing from Thai tourist

The security officers are under criminal investigation, The Philippine Star reported.

The incident came to light after a witness posted a video on social media showing a female security screening officer taking cash from the Thai tourist and then giving it to a colleague who was manning the X-ray machine at the airport's Terminal 3.

"I saw the Philippine officer doing it secretly and took a photo. It turns out that she put the money that she had stolen from a Thai brother to put it in the pocket of a short-haired officer," the witness said in a Facebook post.

On Wednesday, another airport security screening officer was also arrested after security footage showed him taking a watch from a Chinese passenger at the airport's Terminal 1.

Officials said that the officer took the watch while the passenger was going through the X-ray machine for security screening.

The Filipino government said that it would improve its security measures following a series of thefts carried out by airport staff.