Strange tales: Gordon back in power in Subic through his boy, Areza? Plus Manila Hotel buying Fraport’s shares?

Fantastic and dismaying things are happening in the Save-Me-From-Impeachment World of Presidenta GMA.

First, Senator Dick Gordon has finessed himself back into power in Subic (SBMA) by getting his nominee, his former Department of Tourism Undersecretary Armand Areza appointed Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority "boss."

In short, La Gloria caved in to Gordon’s pressure and will, I’m informed, swear Areza in next Wednesday (he’s an incumbent SBMA Director) as SBMA Administrator.

And what about exiting Chairman Francisco Licuanan – and SBMA Administrator Alfredo Antonio – who both "resigned"? It’s amazing that Licuanan, a real gutsy man of principle whom I know well, and whose praises La Presidenta was fulsomely singing when she appointed him barely 10 months ago, is out. By golly. I bumped into Licuanan himself last Friday and he confirmed he was quitting irrevocably.

Yesterday, Malacañang factotum Tom Alcantara was seen meeting Licuanan in the Tower Club to tell him to keep quiet – please. The Palace is trying to prevail on Kiko L. not to raise a howl until it manages to put together a "cover story" as to why he resigned. Whatta disgusting situation.

The truth is that Licuanan had been strongly objecting to Gordon’s meddling. First Dick wanted to push his wife, Kate as SBMA chief, then his former deputy, Inky Reyes – but finally got his wish, with GMA (desperate for his support on the "impeachment" issue?) agreeing to designate his boy, Areza.

Not content with this, Alikabok tells me, Gordon wants another of his men (a certain Arman, or Armin Raquel Santos?) appointed Chairman to replace Licuanan.

If we had hoped GMA was going to let professionals do the job in her Administration, and pull our country out of the mess we’re in, I’m afraid we may have to adopt that phrase from the archway to the Infierno: "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here!"

Of course, Licuanan (the former president of Ayala Land) and Freddy Antonio, who both assumed office in October 2004 did not resign simultaneously. Antonio did not work well Licuanan, and had been poised to quit earlier hoping to be appointed to the Monetary Board. He was expected to have been sworn into the MB together with Ms. Nellie Villafuerte and former Finance Secretary Nits Amatong last July 4. He was, however, prevailed upon to remain in the SBMA until the appointment papers of his supposed successor, Mr. Roberto Garcia (Licuanan’s nominee) were signed. To Licuanan’s disappointment and frustration, GMA did not sign the appointment.

Having been pledged full support by the President when he hesitantly took the job, Licuanan was appalled. He had planned to work with Bobby Garcia whom he trusted and respected, but never with a perceived lackey of Gordon.

Licuanan also painfully lost face with Garcia who had not volunteered for the position, but was finally persuaded to move to Subic despite the inconvenience of having to transfer his daughter to another school! Thus, there was no alternative for a honorable man like Licuanan but to resign.

I got a call from former SBMA Chairman and CEO, former Congressman Felicito "Tong" Payumo, and he said he, too, was plumb disgusted. He had, Tong affirmed, welcomed turning over Subic to Licuanan and Antonio because he felt that professionals would efficiently and successfully run that vital freeport and metropolitan authority. He may now join the fray, seeing that his old enemies and political nemesis, the Gordons, are on the verge of taking over SBMA.

The problem for GMA will not end there. I also bumped into the Magsaysays (by gosh, this is my weekend of bumping into everybody) and they were fuming, declaring they will not take this sitting down. The Magsaysays, plus Payumo, are the foes of the Gordons.

If GMA has reverted, in her desperation, to playing politics, her arithmetic must be pretty bad. There are three Magsaysays in the House of Representatives and one in the Senate. True, one of them, Party List Rep. Amang, has been tweaked in the press for switching his support to the President. But he now says he could change his mind again.

On the Gordon side, there is only Dick Gordon in the Senate. His wife, former Subic City Mayor Kate lost miserably to Mitos Magsaysay, Zambales Governor Vice’s daughter-in-law, in the last congressional race. I spotted Vic and Amang having lunch with Licuanan in "Circles," the coffee shop of the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. I hear that if the position of Chairman is vacated, the Magsaysays want the Chairmanship to be given to them or their nominee. It’s only logical. The Magsaysays know that the "impeachment" battle, although the Opposition has managed to muster thus far too few votes (but counting) is in the House, not the upper chamber. If the pro-impeachment congressmen muster the 79 votes needed to push the process up into the Senate, then PGMA’s goose might (would?) be cooked – and a lone Gordon cannot help her there. Will she risk prompting three more signatures (the Magsaysays) to be added to the growing list in the House?

Once more, may I exclaim in surprise: for a political "survivor," over-eager to please everybody, GMA’s arithmetic is astonishingly faulty.

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In the meantime, the Subic Freeport is in disarray. FEDEX announced their impending departure in 2007 (as disclosed weeks ago in this column), but there was hardly a whimper from the SBMA authority. Why didn’t they rush to Memphis, Tenn., the hometown of FEDEX to ask Fred Smith and his planners (who’re moving their hub to China) to reconsider, or otherwise try and save the situation?

The used-car vehicle manufacturing industry, which I never liked (too many decrepit RHD, second-vehicles, slipping in) is almost kaput in Subic, but why now is it allowed in Port Irene, Cagayan?

The number of vessels arriving in Subic has decreased considerably, thus Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue collections have gone down precipitously. Some investors are rightfully grousing that it takes six months to have an investment proposal approved. In any event, no new substantial investments have come in lately.

When I was in Taipei a couple of months ago, the Taiwanese told me that they were considering reducing their presence in SBMA, because it was becoming too complicated and expensive. For instance, they pointed out, the rates they were being charged for water were too high.

But what did we expect? When the minds of SBMA’s officials cannot remain focused on their jobs because they’re busy fighting off political bullying and moves to take Subic away from them, how can they think and work straight?

Licuanan, whom I’ve known for years (we even used to play basketball together – also with Erap in the good old days when Erap could still run), is a straight shooter. But even a straight shooter gets rattled when somebody’s shooting at him – from behind.

All I can say is that GMA ought to get her act together. She surely doesn’t mourn the noisy and disloyal departure of the "Hyatt 10," but now the Good Guys are leaving, too.

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What this?

Yesterday, a weird story came in via the international wire services. True or . . . what?

The story went that the Manila Hotel Corporation has bought out the shares of Fraport AG, the German firm which was the frontrunner in the PIATCO construction of the still inoperable Airport Terminal-3 (and which is sueing our Government). The Reuters report from abroad that Fraport had announced in their homebase of Frankfurt, Germany, the projected sale in which they will receive an initial downpayment of $50 million from the Manila Hotel group, with the remaining $150 million to be paid to them in six months, took Malacañang by surprise.

My immediate reaction, I must admit, was: How can this be possible? How could the Manila Hotel Corporation afford to buy Fraport’s shareholdings in the Philippine International Air Terminal Co. (PIATCO), when its owner, Manila Bulletin Chairman Don Emilio Yap, still hasn’t paid a reported half a billion pesos debt to the Government Service Insurance Service (GSIS), the very government entity from which he bought the Manila Hotel?

There’s more to this fastbreak than meets the eye.

For starters, the present Manila Hotel Corporation president is former DILG Secretary and ex-Governor of Laguna Joey Lina, brother of Customs Commissioner Bert Lina, who was one of the "Hyatt 10[ bunch who gave GMA and the Philippines an embarrassing, black-eye when they resigned and demanded that La Gloria resign, too, and give the Presidency to his Constitutional "successor," Vice-President Noli de Castro.

Secondly, The Manila Bulletin which is owned by Emilio Yap did not run any story about this so-called "sale," which means it did not confirm it (it must be pointedly noted) did they deny it.

Who’ll take over NAIA-3 then? DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza told me it couldn’t be rendered operable within less than four months owing to Takenaka’s need to fully computerize the terminal and the need to complete facilities. In sum, it’s iffy whether Terminal 3 can get doing till November, at the earliest.

Finally, what’s the advantage for an outside "group" to run NAIA-3? The cynics would say it would be a great opportunity for . . . oh well, I won’t be so rash as to call it smuggling.