Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Cesar Chiong said that the assistance provided by the Airport Police Department (APD) to a number of vehicles going to the Balagbag ramp last February 13, 2023, was authorized, following an official written request from Globan Aviation Corporation in relation to a chartered flight that they handled on the night of the same day.
In a statement, Chiong said the assistance of the APD was conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures requiring APD patrol cars to escort vehicles without blinkers and with no MIAA issued permit to the Aircraft Movement Area (AMA).
AMA Permits are issued annually by the MIA Authority to its official vehicles and that of the airlines and other airport agencies with operations in this restricted part of the NAIA, he said.
Investigation is in progress about the said departure following a request from PNP AVSeu NCR chief PCol Rhoderick Campo who alleged that there were violations in the handling of the flight which was bound for Dubai using an aircraft with Registry number and Callsign N9527E owned/operated by Cloud Nine No. 1 Leasing Company Limited.
Initial information gathered revealed that Globan Aviation Corporation, the ground handling company, obtained the necessary approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for entry-exit clearance; the PNP Avseu for the Aircraft Exit Clearance, the MIAA for ramp entry of vehicles that transported the passengers to the Balagbag ramp, all of whom were processed and cleared by the Bureau of Immigration on site.
Notwithstanding these pieces of information, Chiong said the MIAA shall continue with the probe leaving no stone unturned to dispell insinuations that persons are being brought out of the country surreptitiously without going through mandated predeparture formalities.
Rest assured that MIAA will continue to uphold established procedures in airport security and operations, he added. (JERRY S. TAN)
