Palace backs Miascor deal termination

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday dashed the hopes of MIASCOR Groundhandling Corp. that it will be allowed to continue providing services in airports, stressing that its contract with the government has expired. 

President Duterte ordered the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) to terminate its deal with MIASCOR after a Filipino migrant worker from Canada reported that about P82,000 worth of items were stolen from his luggage at the Clark International Airport.

Last Friday, MIAA formally asked the aviation service provider to leave the airport in 60 days. 

MIASCOR has said it would ask Duterte to reconsider his position, saying 4,000 of its employees would be affected by the termination of the deal. 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque however maintained MIASCOR no longer has a contract with the MIAA. 

“There is nothing to appeal as government has no existing contract with MIASCOR Groundhandling Corporation. The Manila International Airport Authority’s lease and concession agreement contract with MIASCOR has already expired,” Roque said.

“We are concerned with the workers but we cannot give their employer a concession on that basis alone, considering all the theft incidents by MIASCOR,” he added. 

The lease and concession agreement signed by MIAA and MIASCOR on July 8, 2014 expired on March 31, 2017. 

Roque said MIAA did not renew the contract because of many instances of pilferage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Clark International Airport, including the stealing of the jewelry of the wife of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and the alleged involvement of a MIASCOR supervisor in illegal drugs.

“We have to look at the bigger picture: our national interest is of paramount importance,” Roque said.   

“In particular, we need to protect airport travelers from baggage theft, especially overseas Filipino workers who work so hard to earn a living, and to make sure that potential tourists and investors are not turned off by such incidents at the airport,” he added.  

The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) confirmed it has terminated its contract with MIASCOR.

“We have given MIASCOR up to 60 days to wind down its operation during the transition period so as not to disrupt flights and operations,” said Alexander Cauguiran, CIAC president and CEO. 

“We’ll follow the command of President Rodrigo Duterte and (Transportation) Secretary Arthur Tugade not to allow a repeat of this incident,” Cauguiran said, referring to the complaint of OFWs from Bulacan that their baggage and boxes were pilfered at the airport on Jan. 10. 

Six MIASCOR personnel were implicated and charged with qualified theft.

Roque said MIASCOR employees affected by the termination of the deal would be absorbed by other ground handlers.  

“The fact is the jobs are there so these will be filled up either by new hires or qualified staff from MIASCOR,” he said.  

Roque said airport authorities have given assurance that the non-renewal of the contract with MIASCOR would not disrupt the services given to passengers. 

Malacañang does not see the need to heed Sen. Ralph Recto’s suggestion to create presidential action desks in airports. 

“NAIA authorities have been proven effective in this regard,” Roque said. – With Ding Cervantes

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