Palace slams ‘strategy’ to link Mike A. to PIATCO

Malacañang slammed yesterday a "seeming strategy" of the political opposition to link First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo to various controversies, including that of the new passenger terminal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

"There seems to be a strategy of really attacking the First Gentleman, linking him to any alleged anomaly," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye told Palace reporters.

Bunye aired the Palace’s suspicion as some 50 airlines said they will not be ready to operate in the new NAIA Terminal 3 on the terminal’s scheduled opening on Nov. 25.

Bunye also challenged former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to prove his claim that the First Gentleman employed a "dummy" in an allegedly shady transaction with the new terminal’s developer, Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco).

"The President will never allow any member of the (First) Family to get involved in any government activity. We deny the allegations of Senator Enrile," Bunye said.

"(President Arroyo) herself has said (that) if anybody uses the names of the First Gentleman or any member of the First Family, report this immediately so the name-dropper will be arrested as what happened to a person who dropped the name of the First Gentleman at the Department of Budget and Management," he added.

"With regards to (allegations that the First Gentleman was involved in) granting very favorable conditions to Piatco, we categorically deny that the First Gentleman had anything to do with this," Bunye said.

He also disputed Enrile’s allegation that Malacañang had something to do with the disappearance of Piatco’s public relations consultant Alfonso Liongson, who allegedly earned P10 million a month in consulting fees.

"The First Gentleman doesn’t even know the person being alluded to, Mr. Liongson. And certainly, the President will not allow, will not tolerate any such arrangement. The President wants everything aboveboard," he added.

Airlines not ready?

The Palace reiterated the denials as 50 foreign airlines informed Piatco that they may not be ready for the terminal’s scheduled opening on Nov. 25 because they need at least six months lead time to transfer their offices from the old terminal.

The Board of Airline Representatives, chaired by Felix Cruz, said in a letter to Piatco president Vic Cheng Yong that the airlines still have to undertake construction work on their new offices and train ground handlers and service providers.

Cruz said the airlines could not even start on construction work because they have not been informed of the tenant guidelines and they are not even sure if the airport’s builder has completed the offices and other facilities required by the airlines.

The airlines do not even know what fees would be charged and if these airport charges comply with the policies of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Moreover, the airlines said they would have to defer the transfer until next year because of the Christmas holiday peak season when the airlines are usually busy.

"It is definitely not operationally feasible for the airlines to transfer to a new terminal during a period of peak passenger movement," Cruz said in his letter, dated July 29.

Cruz said the airlines want to be assured that 14 vital concerns have already been addressed before their actual transfer to the new passenger terminal building.

The 14 concerns are complete terminal, operations and security manuals; adequate office and lounge spaces; operational fuel hydrants and fuel farm; operational check-in systems; operational communication systems; adequate terminal security; operational baggage sorting system; adequate space for unclaimed baggage; completion of additional taxi way: adequate access roads connecting all terminals; adequate ground handling equipment; smooth cargo operations for freight and passenger flights; adequate service providers and adequate public access roads.

‘A petty excuse’

But Piatco spokesman Moises Tolentino Jr. dismissed Cruz’s statement as a "petty excuse" and accused the BAR of allowing itself to be "manipulated by those who would like to scuttle the project for their own personal motivations."

Tolentino said Piatco had already complied with all the requirements of the airlines since they presented their demands last January.

"It’s all systems go when the NAIA 3 opens for operations. There is no need to delay the operations as stipulated in the contract between Piatco and government. Piatco is fully complying with all its obligations and will be ready to start operations in November," Tolentino said in a statement.

Tolentino warned that the Manila International Airport Authority will have to pay $50,000 in fines for every day in delay of operations if it fails to accept the finished project on time in accordance with the contract.

Tolentino appealed for the airlines’ cooperation, saying the prompt opening of the NAIA 3 would be beneficial not only to the country but also to the airlines.