CAAP political appointments delay safety audit — Cusi

The world’s main aviation safety body has postponed its planned audit of the Philippine aviation industry because of “operational concerns" that supposedly include political interference in the appointment of top officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). CAAP Director General Alfonso G. Cusi told reporters Tuesday that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) postponed its Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM), initially scheduled for Dec. 7-10, to an indefinite date. ICAO told the CAAP in a letter dated Nov. 9, 2010 that it would postpone its audit due to “operational concerns," Cusi said. “This is sad. We’ve been working hard for this, but [in its] letter, ICAO informed us of [its] decision to postpone the ICVM to an indefinite time," Cusi said. According to Cusi, ICAO officers clarified the aviation safety organization’s stand in a telephone conference with the CAAP on Nov. 17. During the teleconference, ICAO said the operational reasons “relate to the insecurity of ICAO in the sustainability of the present reforms being undertaken by CAAP," Cusi said. ICAO expressed misgivings over “the present unclear political announcements [over] a change in senior management could create, in ICAO’s opinion, an indeterminable future of professional processes within CAAP," he added. The international aviation body was referring to a resolution passed by the CAAP board of directors on Nov. 2, approving the appointments of seven persons to key management positions in the CAAP. The appointments were reportedly “railroaded" by Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose “Ping" de Jesus, Cusi said. GMANews.TV tried to contact De Jesus and Ricky Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning office, for their comment but was not able to get a response as of this posting. According to Cusi, the CAAP board resolution was questionable as it contravenes both the provisions of the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008 or R.A. No. 9497 and civil service provisions on the selection of government officials. Cusi also claimed that all appointees did not go through the regular procedure as prescribed by law and were based on the “desire letter" of the President Benigno Aquino III. However, the CAAP director clarified he was not against the President “or even the ‘desire letter’ of the President, but we have a law that created an authority, so we should comply with it." “Our compliance to our own aviation law is of greater concern to the international community," Cusi said. EU body lauds According to Cusi, his position was bolstered by the findings of a recent safety audit by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The European Union audit team lauded the recent reforms in the CAAP, recent news reports quoted Cusi as saying. The audit a response to Philippine aviation safety concerns raised by the EU. Because of the recent audit, Cusi said the EU has raised the possibility of lifting its ban on Philippine carriers flying in and out of Europe. However, the EASA report said it was essential that the CAAP continue to act independently of any political or economical influence, Cusi said. — With Danilova Molintas/VS, GMANews.TV