Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 7) — Deputy Senate Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday identified two possible causes of the technical breakdown at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on New Year’s Day that affected around 65,000 passengers.
“May negligence nga ba, meron bang even criminal intent nga ba that would have to come into play sa nangyaring malaki at seryosong insidenteng ito affecting about 65,000 passengers on that day,” Hontiveros told CNN Philippines’ The Source. “It seems to be even to a lay person like me na hindi eksperto sa mga aviation matters it seems to be something bigger and serious than a mere technical glitch.”
[Translation: Was there negligence, was there even criminal intent that would have to come into play this big and serious incident affecting about 65,000 passengers on that day. It seems to be even to a lay person like me, who is not an expert in aviation matters, it seems to be something bigger and serious than a mere technical glitch.]
The Department of Transportation (DOTR), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), along with other relevant agencies have formed an inter-agency team to investigate the air traffic management system failure that occurred at the country’s main air hub.
It is expected to submit its findings to the Senate on Feb. 15, over a month after the incident.
On Feb. 6, several government officials and senators, including Hontiveros, inspected Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines ‘s Air Traffic Management Center in Pasay City.
While they were able to see the hardware, the Jan. 1 incident couldn’t be restaged during their visit, she said. The senators were also unable to check the history of maintenance or lack thereof, which may have been a factor in the NAIA fiasco, she noted.
Hontiveros said she hopes that \”the most important missing pieces of this puzzle will come in with the completion of the inter-agency investigation of the DOTR and DICT.\”
Once completed, this will help the Committee on Public Services led by Sen. Grace Poe in its own probe and the crafting of a report regarding the issue, Hontiveros added.
If negligence and criminal intent will be established, the question of whether the government should also provide compensation to the tens of thousands of affected passengers will also come in, the senator also said.
The New Year’s Day mess also calls for the passage of the bill creating the National Transport Safety Board to ensure safe air travel by making sure there is a dependable, up-to-date, and well-maintained air traffic management system, Hontiveros said.
