CAAP chief files raps vs subordinate

MANILA, Philippines - The chief of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has filed a libel suit against an officer of the CAAP Employees Union who exposed the alleged issuance of significant safety concern rating on the country’s civil aviation system and the reportedly inadequate calibration of navigation aids and facilities in the country’s airports.

Ruben Ciron, a retired Philippine Air Force general and now director general of the CAAP, said he also suspended for 90 days Cesar Jose Lucero, CAAP Employees Union vice president and employee of the abolished Air Transportation Office (ATO), pending investigation of a string of administrative charges against him.

In a statement, Ciron said Lucero has relentlessly maligned and insulted him through the issuance of “baseless accusations that have been the basis for several news stories in the media about the deficiencies of the CAAP.”

The libel case was filed before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office last Jan. 28. 

He said he was compelled to file the case against Lucero for calling him “incompetent and incapable, who always rely on his allegedly knowledgeable and expert consultant.”

He said Lucero added insult to his allegations by taunting him in a memorandum, stating: “Wake up sir, you have been manipulated and made as laughing stock of the people surrounding you.”

Aside from the insulting remarks, Ciron said Lucero had been consistently acknowledged as the source of highly technical information by a local newspaper, which claimed that scores of the Philippines navigational aids are defective or lacking maintenance, rendering most Philippine airports as hazardous.

He maintained that “Lucero is not a technical employee and not in a position or even competent to vouch for the status of various navigational facilities in the country’s airports being a mere special investigator who is detailed only to the legal division.”

“Lucero’s allegations that there are serious problems in the country’s navaids has unnecessarily raised serious concern as to the country’s aviation safety, impaired credibility and good image of the CAAP, undermined confidence of the International Civil Aviation community that could set back the nation’s current efforts towards attaining Category 1 status,” he said.

Andrew Basallote, director of Air Navigation Services, assured that all navaids and other equipment are functioning well and are periodically checked to ensure aviation safety.

Air Traffic Services division head Wilfredo Borja said based on records, no report of malfunctioning of any navaids has been received, except for disruption of a land navigational equipment at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which was flooded during storm “Ondoy.”

The CAAP chief said the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program, a branch of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which audited the agency for 10 days last October also did not find anything wrong with the country’s navaids. – Rainier Allan Ronda