Lock up air traffic control fund diverters – Lacson

This November 4, 2019, photo shows then-Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER PHOTO / EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines — People responsible for the alleged diversion of the appropriated budget for the air traffic control system should spend the next holiday season behind bars.

Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson issued the remark on Tuesday following the power outage that downed air navigation facilities of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on New Year’s Day.

“Stupidity or greed? If reports are accurate that the budget appropriated by Congress for the setup of redundancies in the air traffic control system was diverted to some beautification projects at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), those responsible should spend their next holiday season in jail,” he said in a statement.

Former Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, however, had argued that the supposed fund diversion is “farthest from the truth.”

According to Lacson, “an appropriation is a provision of a law passed by Congress that the implementing agency must follow.”

He sharply criticized the Department of Transportation as having the “worst underspending records, year in and year out.”

“The P13 billion must have been part of their unspent appropriations declared as savings then realigned. I hope Sen. Grace Poe’s committee can look more deeply into the history of that particular appropriation,” said Lacson.

Three resolutions have been filed in the Senate to investigate the disruption at the Naia caused by the air traffic management system snag that canceled, delayed, or diverted domestic and international flights that affected 56,000 to 65,000 passengers travelers.

KGA