Palace stands by termination of Miascor’s service contract

Malacañang on Sunday dismissed the appeal of a ground cargo handling service provider at Manila and Clark international airports whose contract was terminated following alleged incidents of pilferage.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said there was nothing to appeal since the contract between the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and Miascor Groundhandling Corp. (Miascor) had already expired.

“There is nothing to appeal as government has no existing contract with Miascor Groundhandling Corp. The Manila International Airport Authority’s lease and concession agreement contract with Miascor has already expired,” Roque said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered the termination of Miascor’s contract following the recent pilferage of the luggage of overseas Filipino worker Jovenil dela Cruz at Clark International Airport in Pampanga province.

National interest

Roque said the MIAA decided not to renew its contract with Miascor “because of many cases or instances of pilferage, both in Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport.”

These include the theft of jewelry belonging to the wife of a diplomat from Turkey and the alleged involvement of a Miascor supervisor in illegal drugs, he said.

“We have to look at the bigger picture: Our national interest is of paramount importance,” he said.

In a statement on Thursday, Miascor said it would “formally issue an appeal to the President to kindly reconsider his position on behalf of [its] almost 4,000 regular employees and their families who will be affected.”