Upkeep neglected: Past CAAP management, many individuals may be liable for airport fiasco — Poe

Senator Grace Poe answers questions from Senate reporters on Monday, February 20, 2023. INQUIRER.net photo / Daniza Fernandez

MANILA, Philippines — The past management of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and several individuals may be accountable for the New Year’s Day air traffic fiasco, Senator Grace Poe said on Monday.

Poe said that the panel report of the Senate committee on public services, which she chairs, will be delivered by next week for plenary discussions.

“When it comes to incompetence or negligence, from the last time I spoke to CAAP Director [General Manuel] Tamayo, he mentioned individuals, one was already given leave while pending the investigation,” said Poe in an interview with reporters in the Senate.

She noted that the CAAP did not mention in what capacity that individual had acted recklessly or incompetently.

“Maraming accountable diyan and in many degrees. Remember, this administration just started this June but the maintenance mismo, hindi nagawa for the past three years. Even the past administration’s management of CAAP could be held liable,” Poe added.

(There are many people accountable there and too many degrees. Remember, this administration just started this June but the maintenance, obviously, the old group neglected it for three years…)

Citing the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Poe said they had not seen a possible cyberattack or sabotage. But, she pointed out that CAAP’s cybersecurity needs to be “upgraded.”

“The actual cybersecurity of the CAAP is quite weak and outdated. So, it needs to be upgraded,” the senator said.

“But, when it comes to actual sabotage — nakita ko kasi at nung pumunta tayo du’n — ang daming sira at hindi mukhang nasira dahil sabotage,” she continued.

(But, when it comes to actual sabotage — I saw when we went there — from what I could see during our visit, the problems that exist there are not the result of deliberate sabotage.)

On January 1, hundreds of flights were canceled, delayed, or diverted. At least 65,000 passengers were affected by the hitch.

The said cause was initially a power outage that downed CAAP’s air navigation facilities.

JPV/abc