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Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Yap exit won’t affect work
Transportation Assistant Secretary Nilo Jatico assured yesterday that preparations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit will not be affected by the dismissal of airport manager Adelberto Yap.
Jatico, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority’s (MCIAA) alternate chairman, said that airport officer-in-charge Romeo Bersonda is capable of handling the preparations for the December summit.
Continuing
“I believe it will not be affected because diretso man ang atong trabaho (our work is continuing) on what should be intended for the Asean,” he said.
However, Jatico admitted in a dyLA interview yesterday that the board will find a replacement for Yap and even urged those who are interested to submit their applications.
But they will also wait for President Arroyo’s nominee so the board could deliberate and appoint Yap’s replacement, as provided in its charter.
“The aviation industry goes on. It is the best interest that the board will always protect, so we could move forward,” Jatico said.
Arbitration
Meanwhile, the owner of ARN Builders, whose P110-million contract with the airport was voided, wrote the MCIAA to say he welcomes an arbitration committee to settle the issue.
Engineer Arnold Espinosa, assisted by lawyer Ervin Estandarte, spoke up for the first time about the issue and said he “will maintain an open mind.”
“As a gesture of good faith, I welcome it and rest assured that I will maintain an open mind. ARN Builders will not stand in the way to obstruct or impede in the happy conclusion of the problem,” read his letter addressed to each of the MCIAA board members.
His letter was in contrast to the earlier pronouncements of lawyer Elias Espinosa that ARN will go to court because the MCIAA’s nullification of the contract was baseless and illegal.
Atty. Espinosa, who wrote the Department of Transportation and identified himself as ARN’s legal counsel and one of its financiers, said the company was the lowest bidder and that they had nothing to do with whatever problems MCIAA had in the bidding process.
Engineer Espinosa, for his part, said he wrote the letter after receiving the board resolutions on the contract, which was for the apron extension project.
“I am saddened by the development and the fate of my contract with MCIAA. To say the least, ARN Builders has in the past maintained its good image and is an active partner for the betterment of Cebu. I have entered into a contract with MCIAA in good faith and the situation I am now bothered me much,” he told the MCIAA.
ARN Builders’ contract was declared void after a month’s work. The MCIAA board raised “serious” questions on their documents and on whether they indeed submitted a responsive bid.
The ARN Builders issue is among the transactions the MCIAA board is looking into, aside from the alleged falsification of the MCIAA Charter and accusations of overpriced purchases.
The allegations have led to Yap’s preventive suspension as general manager. He has also insisted that the MCIAA had no authority to suspend him. He wrote officer-in-charge Bersonda and warned him against usurpation of authority, so the board last Monday fired him (Yap) for his “arrogance” and to avoid confusion.
Yap, for his part, said this will be the start of a legal battle and that he was just a victim of a politician’s interest.
“In contempt sila,” Yap said in a text message, referring to the board.
Reacting to this, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who had moved for his suspension and later his dismissal, said: “I hope he would read the facts of his case again. It seems that Yap is not only confused on whether he is still running the airport, he is confused about his case also.” (JPM/With CYR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 2, 2006 issue)
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