A mysterious four-wheeled vehicle covered with dust and marked with a “caution” tape at a parking space in Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport spurred various speculations from social media users.
Motoring publication VISOR on October 1 posted a picture submitted by their reader which featured a dusty Mitsubishi vehicle with a plate emblem for physicians and was surrounded with a barricade tape.
“I keep seeing this vehicle every time I drive around, looking for a parking space at NAIA Terminal 3,” the unnamed reader wrote, as posted by the publication on its Facebook page.
“With regard to the increased parking rates, I wonder how much the parking fee of the owner of this vehicle will be (assuming that he [or] she is still alive)?” the reader continued, referencing the newly-imposed parking rates in NAIA for traveling passengers that took effect on that day.
The New NAIA Infrastructure Corporation (NNIC), the airport’s new operator, raised the parking fees to prioritize people who legitimately need to park their cars before flights in the limited parking space.
NNIC said the lower parking fees had “unintentionally encouraged misuse of the airport’s limited parking spaces,” which included non-passengers parking their cars in the spaces.
“Many individuals, including those from nearby establishments and with no airport-related business, were taking advantage of the low rates for overnight or long-term parking. This created parking shortage for actual passengers, adding to congestion and frustration,” the airport operator said.
Prior to the rate increase, the overnight parking rate for cars at NAIA started at P300 for the first 24 hours. Now, it costs P1,200 for every P24 hours, four times its old rate.
Meanwhile, the abandoned vehicle spotted in the parking lot at NAIA Terminal 3 caused some internet users to speculate about its background, especially given the recent parking fee increase.
The theories ranged from possible links to loan collaterals to illegal activities.
“Someone abandoned and ran away from Pinas for good,” a Facebook user commented.
“Baka ‘yung owner naisangla ‘yan sa casino and [diyan] inabot, dito sa building ng work ko madami ganyan,” another online user wrote.
“Sometimes, those cars are used by fugitives to escape and criminals to hide the evidence and to mislead the police investigation,” a different Facebook user commented.
“Probably one of those abandoned vehicle, but the parking lot management can’t tow them away due to some legalities,” suggested another online user.
“My own speculations would be: A. used in criminal activities, B. Filed as carnapped claims in insurance (insurance fraud, still criminal activities), C. Pawned [through] loansharks in casinos,” a different online user commented.
“Since there’s a caution tape, maybe there is an ongoing case. Maraming ganyan na carnapped tapos iniiwan sa mga basement parking para palamigin. Or biktima ng rent-tangay,” another Pinoy speculated.
An online user also speculated that it could be related to a certain “belief” or “superstition” about abandoned vehicles.
“All malls or other buildings na may business has these. Kahit isa lang sa buong parking. I think ‘pampaswerte’ siya sa negosyo (not sure). But try going around sa different malls, meron lagi [isa] or [dalawang] cars na abandoned ‘yung itsura,” he wrote.
In 2015, a bill to remove abandoned or derelict vehicles from roads and highways was filed in the House of Representatives.
House Bill 5249, to be known as the Abandoned Motor Vehicle Act of 2014, seeks to empower authorities to act immediately upon seeing abandoned vehicles. They may conduct checks and move them to a garage or a safe place that will not cause obstruction.
The bill is still pending in Congress.
