SBMA turnover still on sked

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—A top official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Wednesday insisted that incoming SBMA Administrator Rafael Reyes had not resigned and would assume office after the latter completes his responsibilities in his present job.

In a statement, outgoing SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza denied reports that the “appointment of [my] own replacement had been faked, and that the incoming official has backed out from the position of SBMA administrator.”

Last week, incoming SBMA Chair Roberto Garcia told the Inquirer that Reyes had quit before he could assume office. Garcia on Tuesday said he was standing by his statement on Reyes’ resignation.

Garcia and Reyes were appointed by President Benigno Aquino III on April 7 to replace Feliciano Salonga and Arreza, respectively.

Arreza said Salonga will turn over the chairmanship of the SBMA board to Garcia on June 3.

Separate turnover

But the SBMA statement said Reyes has “neither accepted the appointment nor backed out from serving as Arreza’s replacement and may have a separate turnover ceremony before assuming the post.”

“Reyes’ appointment is not … fake, nor did he resign or back out as news reports had said,” said Arreza.

He said Reyes is still connected with a private company, “where there are important matters and corporate issues that he has to attend to before formally accepting the SBMA appointment.”

The Inquirer tried but failed to obtain Reyes’ statement on the issue.

Knette Fernando, SBMA’s deputy administrator for corporate communications, declined to say whether Garcia was consulted about the statement released by the agency which refuted his statements.

Earlier, Bases Conversion and Development Authority Chair Felicito Payumo, a former SBMA chair, said he had no doubt that Garcia told the truth about Reyes’ quitting.

“What would be his motive to lie about Reyes’ resignation?” Payumo said.

No motive to lie

Asked how the rift at the SBMA’s leadership might impact on the agency’s operations, Payumo said: “Even if Reyes changes his mind now and says he is not resigning, he will only succeed in making Garcia a liar. Can the two still work together?”

“Maybe it is now time to allow Garcia to recommend for the administrator position. After all, they have to work together closely,” Payumo added.

He said Republic Act 7227 (Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992) states that the positions of chair and administrator are one or “the chair, who is the head of the agency, should have some say on the appointment of the administrator.”

Positions split

The positions of SBMA chair and administrator were split in August 2004 by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Executive Order 340, paving the way for Francisco Licuanan III and Alfredo Antonio to lead the SBMA as chair and administrator, respectively.

When Licuanan and Antonio resigned in 2005, Arroyo appointed Salonga and Arreza to replace them.

“The split done by EO 340 can be questioned since it is not in accordance with the law. Second, it is conducive to conflict [between the two heads of SBMA],” said Payumo. Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon