Bautista asserts suspended MIAA chief not given chance to be heard

By Darwin G. Amojelar

TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime

Bautista has come to the defense of embattled Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Cesar Chiong, saying he (Chiong) was summarily suspended and not given a chance to air his side.

“There was no question. They don’t even know there were cases filed against them until they received the order…. Nagfile lang sila, I think ng motion for reconsideration,” Bautista told the Makati Business Club, referring to Chiong and MIAA assistant general manager Irene Montalbo.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered preventive suspension of Chiong Montalbo for alleged grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct in connection with the alleged “indiscriminate reassignment” of 285 employees.

The announcement of his preventive suspension came a day after a power out-

BOC, PNP agents confiscate P4.4m smuggled cigarets

By Vito Barcelo

COMBINED elements of the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine National Police have intercepted off Zamboanga City a motor boat loaded with smuggled cigarettes worth P 4.4 million in Zamboanga.

The composite team conducted a seaborne patrol operation in Barangay Recodo in Zamboanga City and intercepted the watercraft carrying the smuggled cigarettes.

Port of Zamboanga district collector Arthur Sevilla, Jr said the watercraft was manned by a crew of four—three from Barangay Kasanyangan and one from Barangay Southcom, all in Zamboanga City. The boat came from Jolo, Sulu, and was bound for Zamboanga City when it was interdicted.

“When intercepted, no documents were presented to prove it was legally imported cigarettes and their transport to Zamboanga City,” Sevilla said.

The smuggled cigarettes were confiscated pursuant to the “Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) of 2016,, according Sevilla.

age hit NAIA Terminal 3, resulting in the cancellation of over 40 flights.

The six-month preventive suspension was served a day after the May 1st power outage that hit the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, resulting in the cancellation of some 40 flights. Bautista admitted that he recommended Chiong to the MIAA.

“The general manager of the airport was my recommendation to the President. He was appointed in July [last year] and since then, he has implemented a lot of reforms. He has implemented a lot of reforms to improve passenger service but in doing so, he moved some people from different positions,” Bautista told the Makati Business Club.

“And there was a case filed against him for not really removing people, but moving them to different positions. And that the Ombudsman made the decision to suspend him for six months,” he added.