Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 17) – Airport authorities admitted there were coordination lapses in the arrival of the American military plane C-17 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last June 26.
“We confirm that for this particular flight, MIAA was not aware na parating yung aircraft,” Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Officer-in-Charge Bryan Co told a Senate hearing on Wednesday
“The time that we knew it was coming here nung nagland na,” he said. “Kaya walang na-assign na parking slot,” .
[Translation: We confirm that for this particular flight, MIAA was not aware that the aircraft was coming. The only time that we knew it was coming was the moment it landed. That’s why there was no assigned parking slot.]
Co said the aircraft owner or operator was able to secure a landing permit, one of the requirements needed, from the Civil Aviation Authorities of the Philippines (CAAP).
However, he pointed out that the aircraft owners or operators should have coordinated with their local ground handler to secure ground slots.
“Although they have the landing permit, there was no coordination made by the aircraft operator or the local ground handler with the MIAA,” Co said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also confirmed they issued a diplomatic clearance and coordinated with all concerned agencies regarding the flight.
MIAA identified the local ground handler as Ages Aviation Center, Inc., the company usually tapped by the United States. It said the handler initially did not know about the flight.
US embassy called over ‘unadvised’ landing
The DFA also bared that it has called the attention of the US embassy on the ‘unadvised’ landing of its military plane.
“We have already called the attention of the US Embassy on this,” Gonzaga said. “They have provided us assurances that they will try as much as possible not to make this happen again.”
The DFA official said they will discuss the incident in the context of the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces and see if there is something they can do administratively.
The agency also said it will look into the possibility of accomplishing the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) checks at the final destination, instead of passing through NAIA.
The U.S. Embassy earlier said the plane landed at the NAIA to comply with rules, but admitted the lack of coordination.
It also said there was a ‘clerical error’ in the information provided by the U.S. Government.
