Case filed vs Mactan airport head

CEBU CITY — A complaint for prolonging performance of duties and powers has been filed against Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) general manager Angelo Verdan.

The MCIAA board appointed Verdan to the position last October. President Arroyo subsequently approved the appointment.

But the Civil Service Commission (CSC), in a decision last July 7, said Verdan lacked the civil service eligibility needed for the appointment.

Verdan said he is not worried about it because it is a matter for the MCIAA board to decide, being the appointing power that placed him in the position.

Now Echelon Industries, a California-based firm, represented by its country manager Cris Saavedra, filed the complaint, arguing that Verdan’s appointment was only temporary.

Saavedra said that despite the CSC’s disapproval of his appointment, Verdan continues to exercise the duties and powers of his office.

Echelon Industries, engaged in supplying and installing rejuvenator sealers for runways, taxiways and other asphalt pavements, won the bid to supply and install rejuvenator sealers for the Mactan airport runway.

The MCIAA did not award the project to Echelon after it received derogatory information about the company, something which Echelon denied.

Echelon went to court to stop the MCIAA from awarding the contract to another party or undertaking the repairs by itself, and got a temporary restraining order.

Last July 31, the Court of Appeals, however, barred the lower court from carrying out its restraining order. Consequently, the MCIAA has decided to undertake the runway repairs starting this week. — Freeman News Service