Aquino: Pilots who violated PAL contracts can be charged in court

President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Sunday said the pilots who breached their contracts with flag carrier Philippine Airlines by leaving their duties without prior notice could be charged in court. In a press briefing after the memorial Mass for his mother former president Corazon Aquino, Noynoy said the pilots' move could lay them open of court charges. "There has been disruption to our tourism efforts and to other aspects of the economy.... If this [pilots' not reporting for duty] is not warranted, they lay themselves open with appropriate charges," said the president. Aquino said Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa Jr., Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose "Ping" de Jesus, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima will separately meet with PAL management and the airline pilots' association Monday to discuss what needs to be done about the resignations that caused the cancellation of 11 flights Saturday. "The end point being to address the situation and to remind everybody, PAL for instance, that they do have obligations when they secured the franchise to operate this public conveyance. The pilots also have an obligation," Aquino added. Moreover, he said he wants the government and concerned parties to come up with a resolution so the public will not be inconvenienced and the economy will not suffer because of the "internal dispute." In a statement on Saturday, PAL said it will file appropriate charges soon against pilots who chose not to report for work immediately after submitting their resignation letters and moving over to other airlines that offer better pay than PAL offers. "The indiscriminate resignation of PAL's A320 pilots for flying jobs abroad whose salaries PAL is unable to match, is in violation of their contracts with PAL as well pertinent government regulations that require resigning pilots to give PAL six months prior notice to be able to train their replacements," the statement read. The PAL is part of a group of companies owned by business tycoon Lucio Tan. Last June, the Department of Labor and Employment allowed the PAL management to outsource critical operations, a move that may cost some 3,500 of the airline's 7,500 employees their jobs. The PAL Employees’ Association criticized the decision, which former Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman said was a valid exercise of management prerogative. — LBG, GMANews.TV