'GMA ally holding on to top post of aircraft repair firm'

MANILA, Philippines - A political ally of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is said to be holding on to power in the state-owned aviation firm Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. (PADC) despite an order from Malacañang for appointed officials coterminous with their appointing power to step down last June 30.

Retired Philippine Air Force general Ildefonso Dulinayan, a former governor of Ifugao province, is said to be still in control of PADC, signing disbursement vouchers and using the service vehicle of the firm’s president, a Toyota Camry.

Documents obtained by The STAR showed that Dulinayan still signed disbursement vouchers last July 2 for the local travel allowance of PADC officials.

Dulinayan was appointed by Arroyo as PADC president on March 20, 2009.

PADC insiders said PADC officials including treasurer Antonio Suba, who is supposed to assume as OIC last July 1, could not assume control from Dulinayan since he reportedly has a strong chance of being reappointed due to his ties with fellow military general, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and presidential uncle and former Tarlac congressman Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr.

Dulinayan, on the other hand, insisted that he has already stepped down from the PADC presidency last June 30 as ordered by President Aquino.

“Since July 1, Mr. Suba has been the OIC. I’m not the president anymore,” Dulinayan told The STAR.

Dulinayan also brushed off reports that he was gunning for reappointment, especially with his ties to Cojuangco or Gazmin.

Suba affirmed that he has assumed as PADC OIC last July 1.

It was learned that Dulinayan is among a group of 15 former Air Force officers who were slapped with graft charges by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan for alleged ghost deliveries of various goods and supplies paid for by the Philippine Air Force back in 1993.