CLARK FREEPORT – Everything has recently started to come up right for the Clark airport. And then fell a ombshell threatening to obliterate all its gains.
The proposal of the Department of Transportation and Communications aired by Secretary Mar Roxas at a Senate hearing last October 10 to transfer the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Clark has been widely acclaimed here as “a long dream coming to fulfillment.”
In turn, last week’s report on NAIA being voted as “the world’s worst airport” was hailed here as a “validation of the DOTC proposal, and a vindication of the premiership of Clark to be the Philippines’ international gateway.”
Amid these positive developments for Clark came media reports last Friday of the pilferage of back-up high-power cables at the runway and taxiway of the Clark airport.
“The very people tasked to preside over the development of the Clark airport appear to be the very ones sabotaging that development,” the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement said.
This, the advocacy group alleged, as “resulting from a turf war” within the Clark International Airport Corp. which could derail the development of Clark airport as the country’s premier international gateway.
Parochialism
“This infighting and jostling for positions inside CIAC is a complete drawback to the future of the Clark airport,” lamented Ruperto Cruz, PGKM chairman. “It could even degenerate to parochialism, some sort of a corporate battle between Tarlac and Pampanga personalities.
Cruz was referring to the cable theft expose of former Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan, currently CIAC vice president for operations, who suggested that charges be filed against CIAC President Victor Jose Luciano, who hails from Magalang town in Pampanga.
Catacutan charged that Luciano be “criminally and administratively liable for qualified theft” for allegedly approving the digging up of high-powered underground cables in a restricted area within the Clark Aviation Complex.
Catacutan showed copies of two letters to the media, allegedly handwritten by Luciano, authorizing the four personnel of ACP Manpower, owned by one Josie Gomez, to enter certain areas within the complex.
In his report to CIAC Executive Vice President Bienvenido Manga, Catacutan said two kinds of cables were missing, one of which was about 275 meters long while the other 900 meters. The cables were valued at P2.6 million.
But Cruz stressed that if Catacutan is really serious in his allegations against Luciano, “Then why didn’t he file formal charges at the Office of the Ombudsman and also file criminal charges against ACP Manpower personnel.”
Charges
In an investigation report dated 26 September 2011, Airport Security Department manager Jose Marlowe Pedregosa recommended that legal actions “either by civil or criminal prosecution” be initiated against the ACP Manpower and sought remuneration from the company for the “damages (it) caused.”
“It would have been better if Catacutan just filed formal charges rather than going on a media blitz against Luciano,” Cruz noted.
He added: “With this expose, I wouldn’t be surprised if Catacutan is accused of pulling the rug from under Luciano’s feet since reports have it that Catacutan is also eyeing the CIAC presidency.”
“This is a blatant and shameful tug-of-war which is obstructing the development of the Clark airport. One is aspiring to be a CIAC president while the other is struggling to retain his position.”
Politics
Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo has joined the fray, announcing on Friday that he would file graft charges against Luciano a new.
Pelayo had earlier haled Luciano to the Ombudsman for alleged graft in connection with the disposition of scrap materials resulting from the demolition of allegedly dilapidated buildings at the civil aviation complex.
“Sasampahan ko siya ng kaso sa Ombudsman at susulatan ko rin ang mga senador para magsagawa sila ng imbestigasyon ukol dito,” Pelayo said.
Cruz lamented what he called “the politicization of the Clark airport issue.”
“What is paramount to us is the full operations of the Clark airport. We do not care about political affiliations.
What is important to us is to have someone who is knowledgeable, dedicated, and professional in running the airport here in Clark.”
“While we do not, and will never, condone any wrongdoing, the timing of Catacutan’s expose is severely out of place.
It could affect the decision of the government thus, hamper the Clark airport’s chances to be utilized to its full potential,” Cruz said, repeating that Catacutan could have simply filed a case against Luciano.
Cruz stressed that the PGKM’s purpose is grounded “on the interests of stakeholders in the Central Luzon region and not those from Imperial Manila.”
“We only serve as the watchdogs of the greater interests of the people and the development of Clark and the rest of Region 3.”
