PAL surprised over inclusion in impeachment case

Thursday, December 15, 2011

THE Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) management on Thursday admitted being surprised over the inclusion of one of its cases in the impeachment complaint filed against Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona.
 
In an interview, PAL president Jaime Bautista said they were not expecting that a “private dispute” would be used against a public official facing ouster.
 
“I was personally surprised kasi it is a case of a private company with a private interest,” said Bautista.
 
Another reason, he added, for them not to be at ease with its inclusion in the impeachment complaint is the fact that it remains to be a “live case”.
 
He said having it discussed in the forthcoming impeachment could unwittingly tackle the facts of the case also.
 
“Actually, dapat sub judice kasi nandoon ang kaso sa Supreme Court… it is a live case. Hindi pa ito tapos,” noted Bautista.
 
Still, the PAL chief operating officer said they are confident that the SC can still handle the case judiciously.
 
“Hindi kami nabahala kasi we feel that our legal system will work,” said Bautista.
 
To recall, the case between PAL and the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (Fasap) was among the eight grounds cited in the impeachment complaint versus Corona.
 
In its resolution dated October 4, the SC en banc took cognizance of the letter submitted by PAL lawyer Estelito Mendoza questioning the composition of the SC’s Second Division that issued the September 7 ruling and recalled the said order.
 
The latter ruling was actually a denial of PAL’s 2nd Motion for Reconsideration over the October 2, 2009 ruling also by the High Tribunal.
 
It can be recalled that in July 22, 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fasap, which declared illegal the retrenchment of 1,400 flight attendants in 1998 until it was appealed by the flag carrier. (AMN/Sunnex)