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Transport chief questions suspension of MIAA general manager

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Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista inspects the facilities at the Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 3 in Pasay City on April 4, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/05/10/20230404-holy-week-naia-rush-md-28.jpg"/><figcaption>Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista inspects the facilities at the Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 3 in Pasay City on April 4, 2023. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday that suspended Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Cesar Chiong was not given a chance to explain his side.</p><p>&quot;There was no question; they don’t even know there were cases filed against them until they received the order…. Nag-file lang sila, I think ng motion for reconsideration,&quot; Bautista told the Makati Business Club.</p><p>The Office of the Ombudsman ordered a preventive suspension of Chiong and Assistant General Manager Irene Montalbo over alleged grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct for the &quot;indiscriminate reassignment&quot; of 285 employees. </p><p>The suspension was served a day after the Labor Day power outage mess at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/01/23/naia-terminal-3-suffers-power-outage-on-labor-day-several-flights-cancelled">NAIA Terminal 3 suffers power outage on Labor Day, several flights cancelled</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/23/ombudsman-orders-preventive-suspension-of-miaa-chief">Ombudsman orders preventive suspension of MIAA chief Chiong</a></li></ul><p>It was Bautista who recommended Chiong to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to head NAIA. Chiong was appointed in July 2022. </p><p>Bautista enumerated some of the significant changes Chiong imposed at the airport, which he said addressed congestion at the terminals.</p><p>“You will notice that even the security guards and the police are already out there. There are no more initial checks, which is the practice in other countries. I told him to adopt the best practices from (other countries). In the Philippines, we have so many X-ray checks that cause congestion. He has implemented a lot of reforms,” Bautista said.</p><p>In October 2022, an Office of the Press Secretary official said that Jay Art Tugade was supposed to take the helm of MIAA. </p><p>The following month, Bautista confirmed to the press that Chiong remained as MIAA general manager. Tugade, on the other hand, was appointed as the Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/14/22/son-of-ex-dotr-chief-moves-from-miaa-to-lto">From MIAA to LTO: Son of ex-DOTr chief shifts to a new office</a></li></ul><div><strong>DRIVER&#x27;S LICENSE </strong></div><p>Recently, Bautista and Tugade released contradicting statements on the issue of driver’s license cards. </p><p>Tugade insisted that the DOTr’s memo in January 2023 prevented the attached agency from procuring plastic cards. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/26/23/lto-awaits-procurement-of-plastic-cards-for-drivers-license">LTO awaits procurement of plastic cards for driver&#x27;s license</a></li></ul><p>Meanwhile, Bautista said the LTO should have handled the procurement process as soon as they spotted the need or as early as possible.</p><p>“Unfortunately, LTO was not able to do the early procurement… When the Bids and Awards Committee requested LTO to do the procurement and requested the TOR, they said they were not ready yet. We are hoping that we will complete the procurement by June.” Bautista said.</p><p>Currently, applicants receive driver’s licenses printed on paper.</p><p>Amid the issues hounding the transportation industry and calls for Bautista to resign from his post, he said he would continue to serve at the pleasure of the president.</p><p>“If you’re a Cabinet secretary, you serve at the pleasure of the President… We will just continue to do our work; we have a lot of responsibilities to the public. Cesar Chiong is suspended, but there is somebody who has taken over his position. Si [DOTr Undersecretary] Steve Pastor resigned a few months ago, and there is already usec for the job.”</p><p>Pastor resigned over health issues in April. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/multimedia/photo/05/09/23/look-digital-drivers-license-by-dict">LOOK: Digital driver&#x27;s license by DICT</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/08/23/lto-to-launch-digital-licenses-amid-card-shortage">Amid plastic card shortage, LTO says to launch &#x27;digital licenses&#x27;</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bE3Kj23RJZQ?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said suspended MIAA General Manager Cesar Chiong was not given a chance to explain his side.

Transport chief questions suspension of MIAA general manager

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Transport chief questions suspension of MIAA general manager

Jacque Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 10, 2023 02:59 PM PHT

Read More:

Jaime Bautista

DOTr

NAIA

MIAA

Ombudsman

Department of Transportation

Manila International Airport Authority

Cesar Chiong

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