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Solon wants probe into use of chartered jet that flew govt officials to Tacloban
By XIANNE ARCANGEL, GMA News
(UPDATED 10:53 p.m.) A party-list lawmaker has asked Congress to investigate the government’s use of public funds for a chartered jet which flew several Cabinet members to and from Tacloban City during the papal visit.
In House Resolution 1848, Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon urged the House committee on good government and public accountability to summon the concerned Cabinet secretaries to explain the necessity for chartering a Bombardier GL50 excutive jet for their Leyte trip.
On board the chartered plane were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. and several Malacañang functionaries.
The private plane owned by a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation skidded off the runway of the Daniel Z. Romualdez airport in Tacloban City last July 17,amid the torrential rains brought by typhoon “Amang”. The incident occurred around 30 minutes after Pope Francis left for Manila aboard a Philippine Airlines flight.
According to the findings of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the airport’s Runway 18 threshold “were displaced by 638 meters” after a strong crosswind caused the executive jet to “roll 50 meters from the grassy portion at the end of the runway.”
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda had said that the Cabinet officials were in Tacloban City to ensure that Pope Francis’ activities in the area and nearby Palo town would go on as planned.
Aside from compromising public safety, Ridon said the incident also disrupted airport operations for several days as the airlines were forced to cancel flights or change flight schedules as a result of restricted runway activities.,
“More than a week after the incident, CAAP has only managed to move the aircraft, but its presence in the airport is still a risk to the riding public. Since the ,investigation is still on-going, the absolute integrity and safety of Runway 18 has yet to be determined,” he said. — DVM/NB, GMA News
Note: This update corrects the earlier report that several other Cabinet secretaries were on board the plane.
In House Resolution 1848, Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon urged the House committee on good government and public accountability to summon the concerned Cabinet secretaries to explain the necessity for chartering a Bombardier GL50 excutive jet for their Leyte trip.
On board the chartered plane were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. and several Malacañang functionaries.
The private plane owned by a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation skidded off the runway of the Daniel Z. Romualdez airport in Tacloban City last July 17,amid the torrential rains brought by typhoon “Amang”. The incident occurred around 30 minutes after Pope Francis left for Manila aboard a Philippine Airlines flight.
According to the findings of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the airport’s Runway 18 threshold “were displaced by 638 meters” after a strong crosswind caused the executive jet to “roll 50 meters from the grassy portion at the end of the runway.”
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda had said that the Cabinet officials were in Tacloban City to ensure that Pope Francis’ activities in the area and nearby Palo town would go on as planned.
Aside from compromising public safety, Ridon said the incident also disrupted airport operations for several days as the airlines were forced to cancel flights or change flight schedules as a result of restricted runway activities.,
“More than a week after the incident, CAAP has only managed to move the aircraft, but its presence in the airport is still a risk to the riding public. Since the ,investigation is still on-going, the absolute integrity and safety of Runway 18 has yet to be determined,” he said. — DVM/NB, GMA News
Note: This update corrects the earlier report that several other Cabinet secretaries were on board the plane.
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