CLARK FREEPORT, SUBIC, Philippines ? Keeping the government?s interest in mind, members of the board of the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) are meeting this Monday to junk the bid of a Kuwaiti firm to develop and run the airport and aviation complex here, a CIAC official said on Sunday.

?I believe the board will decide to reject the Al Mal proposal with finality and terminate talks with [the Kuwaiti firm],? said the CIAC official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The terms of agreement drafted by Al Mal in the March 3 to 8 talks in Kuwait became controversial on account of issues on sovereignty, investment costs and the firm?s financial capability.

CIAC employees walked out of their offices Thursday to oppose the looming deal for Al Mal to develop and manage the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport and its aviation complex here. At least two CIAC officials granted interviews to the Inquirer to raise concern over the terms demanded by Al Mal.

One of them called the waiver of sovereignty immunity to be ?ironic? and ?stupid,? given Clark?s history as a United States air base from 1902 to 1991 and its being in full control of the Philippine government since 1991.

The complex and the DMIA, named after President Macapagal-Arroyo?s father, span 2,500 hectares and are three hours away from major Asian cities.

The CIAC official said the rejection and termination of the talks were ?irreversible now.? The board first turned down the plan on Feb. 15.

The CIAC board is composed of chair Nestor Mangio, vice chair Benigno Ricafort, president and chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano, executive vice president Alexander Cauguiran, vice president Romeo Dyoco and directors Jesus Nicdao, Rafael Angeles, Alfonso Cusi and Silvestre Punzalan III.

Aloysius Santos and Narciso Abaya, chair and president, respectively, of the Bases Conversion Development Authority, are advisers of the CIAC board.