Rivera relieves two top officials of CAB

Transportation and Communications Secretary Vicente Rivera Jr. has sacked the executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) after a Malacañang investigation showed that she traveled to South Korea, allegedly on leisure, last October with Nippon Air, an airline company, as sponsor.

Relieved CAB official Guia Martinez was replaced by labor lawyer Emmanuel Noel Cruz, who will assume the position on Monday.

DOTC sources also confirmed yesterday the relief of Martinez's deputy, Francis Anthony Navarette, reportedly for "unsatisfactory performance."

Martinez was accompanied in the trip to Seoul, South Korea last Oct. 15-18 by her husband, CAB legal enforcement division chief Arturo Cosuico and a certain John Barrientos and Eliza Baliza.

President Estrada learned about Martinez's trip through a complaint letter sent last Jan. 22 that alleged that Nippon Air shouldered the travel expenses of Martinez's group allegedly in exchange for a "certain favor" it was asking from CAB.

The complainant, whose identity was withheld, said the trip was illegal because Martinez did not seek proper authorization from the Office of the President.

Responding to the letter, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Ramon Cardenas coordinated with Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez who, in turn, confirmed that Martinez and Cosuico, indeed, went to South Korea.

Cardenas also found out that the trip was not authorized by Malacañang.