Bacolod airport manager relieved over P240K theft
10/03/2009 | 07:21 PM
Last month's theft of P240,000 in terminal fees at the Bacolod-Silay Airport has cost the airport manager his job, an online news site reported.
Ordered relieved by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines head Ruben Ciron was airport manager Antonio Alfonso, the Visayan Daily Star (www.visayandailystar.com) reported.
Alfonso said he has relinquished his post to new airport manager Felizardo Toralba Wednesday.
He said he did not feel bad, but insisted he should not be held responsible because he has not been remiss in performing his duties. He expressed confidence he can return to his old post once the investigation ends.
As this developed, the National Bureau of Investigation took over the probe of the incident.
The theft of the P240,000 in terminal fees was discovered at 5 a.m. of Sept. 14.
Silay City police director Superintendent Jerry Bartolome said they are eyeing an inside job as there was no visible sign of force in getting the money.
Meanwhile, NBI-Bacolod chief Mamerto Cortez said they have already taken over the investigation.
Cortez said he and Toralba conducted a case conference with Department of Transportation and Communications Assistant Secretary Francis Juen and other airport personnel on the details of the case.
Initial investigation by the Silay police showed eight possible suspects behind the theft, but Cortez said they might increase these to 20.
He said these may include other airport personnel, like the security officers and others.
“We are now going to re-track the case and we will ask the Silay police for documents, if they have any," Cortez said. - GMANews.TV
Ordered relieved by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines head Ruben Ciron was airport manager Antonio Alfonso, the Visayan Daily Star (www.visayandailystar.com) reported.
Alfonso said he has relinquished his post to new airport manager Felizardo Toralba Wednesday.
He said he did not feel bad, but insisted he should not be held responsible because he has not been remiss in performing his duties. He expressed confidence he can return to his old post once the investigation ends.
As this developed, the National Bureau of Investigation took over the probe of the incident.
The theft of the P240,000 in terminal fees was discovered at 5 a.m. of Sept. 14.
Silay City police director Superintendent Jerry Bartolome said they are eyeing an inside job as there was no visible sign of force in getting the money.
Meanwhile, NBI-Bacolod chief Mamerto Cortez said they have already taken over the investigation.
Cortez said he and Toralba conducted a case conference with Department of Transportation and Communications Assistant Secretary Francis Juen and other airport personnel on the details of the case.
Initial investigation by the Silay police showed eight possible suspects behind the theft, but Cortez said they might increase these to 20.
He said these may include other airport personnel, like the security officers and others.
“We are now going to re-track the case and we will ask the Silay police for documents, if they have any," Cortez said. - GMANews.TV
