MANILA — Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) general manager Steve Dicdican was ordered suspended by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Wednesday over allegations the official allowed foreign nationals to manage the public facility.

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Acting on an administrative complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Martires ordered the suspension of Dicdican to prevent him from unduly influencing the ongoing investigation.

Dicdican is facing complaints of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The administrative complaint, filed by NBI Anti-Fraud Division chief Palmer Mallari, was anchored on evidence submitted by private complainant Larry Iguidez.

It was noted in the complaint that Dicdican consented, allowed and collaborated with foreign nationals to manage and operate the airport, which is a public utility that can only be administered and controlled by Filipino citizens.

The NBI said that in April 2014, the then Department of Transportation and Communications and the MCIAA awarded a P14.4-billion 25-year concession agreement to GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), a consortium between Megawide Construction Corporation and the GMR Group.

GMCAC CEO Andrew Acquaah-Harrison and other top officials of the company who are foreigners supposedly performed managerial and executive functions such as management of business affairs, development of corporate policies and implementation of operational policies.

The NBI added that instead of reporting irregularities to the MCIAA Board, Dicdican allegedly "turned a blind eye" and "knowingly aided, assisted and/or abetted these foreign officers/employees of GMCAC in the perpetration of the acts penalized by the Anti-Dummy Law."

Martires stressed that considering the influential position of Dicdican as general manager of the airport, his suspension is justified.

The Ombudsman has tasked Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade to immediately enforce Dicdican's suspension.