Missing ₱500K Jewelry Recovered at NAIA; Probe Underway on Mishandling and Theft

A female passenger has recovered her ₱500,000 worth of missing jewelry at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, after the items were reportedly mishandled and partially stolen by airport personnel.

Passenger Kimberly Nakamura Recovers Lost Jewelry at NAIA
Kimberly Nakamura, a traveler bound for Singapore on June 28, lost a jewelry box containing a diamond necklace, earrings, and platinum wedding rings with diamonds. She believed the box may have accidentally fallen from her tote bag while inside NAIA Terminal 3.

Despite reaching out to Cebu Pacific, Changi Airport in Singapore, and NAIA Lost and Found, the box remained unaccounted for—until she posted about the incident on Facebook.

A Cebu Pacific agent later informed her that the jewelry box had been spotted at Gate 104 of NAIA Terminal 3.

CCTV Shows Over 10 NAIA Staff Handling the Jewelry Box
CCTV footage revealed that more than 10 airport personnel were seen handling the jewelry box between June 28 and 29, raising serious concerns about the chain of custody and internal protocols.

“What started as a simple lost-and-found case turned into theft,” Nakamura said. Initially, the box was returned without the rings.

Jewelry Recovered in Stages After Confession and Tip-Off
On July 8, the Airport Police Department recovered the jewelry box—this time containing only the necklace and earrings. One staff member later admitted to taking the item home for personal use, claiming the rings were not inside.

Nakamura’s husband’s wedding ring was returned on July 13, after she threatened to file legal charges for gross negligence and qualified theft. A day later, she received an anonymous tip via text that led her to her own wedding ring, hidden under a table at Gate 104.

“All the items were recovered. Though my husband’s ring was scratched, we’re just relieved to have everything back,” Nakamura told GMA News Online.

NAIA Under Fire for Mishandling and Theft by Staff
Nakamura has urged NAIA and airport authorities to take action, emphasizing that dishonesty and negligence among personnel must not be tolerated.

“This must not be tolerated. Your employees were involved in dishonest acts, and that behavior has no place in any responsible system,” she said.

MIAA Promises Accountability and Commendation
Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Eric Ines assured the public that disciplinary action will be taken.

“Even though the victim didn’t pursue legal charges, we are coordinating with the airline and security teams to hold those responsible accountable,” Ines said.

Meanwhile, staff who assisted in the recovery of the missing jewelry will receive commendations during the next flag-raising ceremony, as recommended by the MIAA Praise Committee.

Jewelry worth ₱500,000 went missing at NAIA Terminal 3 on June 28.
Mishandling and theft by NAIA airport staff were discovered via CCTV.
All items, including diamond-studded wedding rings, were eventually recovered.
The incident sparked calls for greater airport accountability and tighter security measures.