Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros lambasted on Tuesday the revelation of Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) that 61 uncoordinated flights were monitored by the agency after the removal of Xiamen Aircraft on the runway.
Hontiveros said the incident may have compromised the lives of the passengers aboard the concerned flights.
In a statement, the senator said, “61 uncoordinated flights are 61 times aviation safety may have been compromised.”
“One uncoordinated flight is already a cause of concern, what more sixty-one uncoordinated ones? Kung ang mga jeepney at tricycle terminals nga ay may sistema, how much more should international airports with complex air traffic and flight management systems?” Hontiveros added.
Miaa General Manager Ed Monreal earlier said the 60 flights solely coordinated with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) and not with the Miaa.
Hontiveros further denounced remarks that Philippine airports are “colorum terminals” for aircrafts.
“This is totally unacceptable. Our international airport is not a colorum jeepney or tricycle terminal,” she said.
“If what Miaa said was true, it’s short of a miracle that no untoward incidents were reported after the Xiamen Air runway mishap,” Hontiveros stressed.
Hontiveros also said she would support the proposed probe in the Senate on the incident, saying the country’s aviation has a lot of explaining to do.
On Monday, Sen. Grace Poe filed a resolution that seeks to have a full-blown investigation on the recent airport mishap.
READ: Poe seeks ‘full-blown’ probe on Naia runway incident
“Why did those 61 planes decide to coordinate their flights solely with Caap, failing to inform Miaa? What were the weaknesses in communication and coordination between our aviation and airport authorities and passenger planes? How blind was Naia about the recovery flights, when was it finally informed and how did it cope with the unexpected plane arrivals?” Hontiveros asked.
“How do Caap and Miaa work together to ensure safe and efficient air travel? What were the aviation standards and protocols not observed during that period and how they can be strengthened in the future? Was passenger safety endangered during those unexpected flights?” she further asked. /vvp