"(The) government has hired consultants to check the financial and technical auditing of the airport to determine the real value," DOTC assistant secretary for projects and planning Roberto Castañares told reporters in a recent interview at the DOTC office in Mandaluyong City.
Castañares declined to name the auditing firm.
Earlier, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp. of tycoon Lucio Tan said the government should not be made to pay more than the "actual cost" of the airport. AEDC claims it has the legal right to operate the terminal after the Supreme Court in 2003 nullified the contract of Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco) for NAIA-3.
The government has earlier estimated NAIA-3’s value at $300 million.
Piatco, which built the terminal, had it estimated at $650 million.
On the other hand, Piatco’s former German partner Fraport AG estimated it at $450 million. Fraport AG owns 30 percent of Piatco while Filipino partners control the rest.
Citing "national interest," Castañares said the government is pushing through with the opening of NAIA-3 in 2006 despite the order of the Supreme Court directing the government to pay Piatco P3 billion first before having it opened.
Castañares however noted that under the expropriation law, the government can utilize NAIA-3 since they are in possession of the property.
The government is expecting the terminal to be finished with final construction by Japanese contractor Takenaka by June of next year.
Lawyer Perfecto Yasay Jr., AEDC lead counsel, earlier expressed hope the Pasay City regional trial court would order the Commission on Audit (COA) to determine the just compensation that should be given to Piatco.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), meanwhile, vowed to continue with efforts to prepare the controversial NAIA-3 for its opening next year.
MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi said yesterday this course will be pursued after receiving word from the Office of the Solicitor General that the government will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its Dec. 20 order for the government to pay Piatco, representing the proffered value of the NAIA-3 facilities.
Cusi pointed out the SC ruling was not yet final and executory.
"We will continue our efforts to make NAIA-3 ready for opening sometime next year," he said. — Sandy Araneta, Rainier Allan Ronda