THE GOVERNMENT has rejected the appeal of Miascor Groundhandling Corp. for the reinstatement of its contract in major airports after President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered its termination last week due to theft complaints.

“There is nothing to appeal as government has no existing contract with Miascor Groundhandling Corp. The Manila International Airport Authority’s (MIAA) lease and concession agreement contract with Miascor has already expired,” Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. said on Sunday, Jan. 21.

The spokesman added that “the position of the MIAA is not to renew the contract following its expiration because of many cases/instances of pilferage, both in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport. These include the theft committed to the wife of a Turkish diplomat and the alleged involvement of a Miascor supervisor with illegal drugs.”

Mr. Roque also stressed that “we have to look at the bigger picture: Our national interest is of paramount importance. In particular, we need to protect airport travelers from baggage theft, especially overseas Filipino workers who work so hard to earn a living, and to make sure that potential tourists and investors are not turned off by such incidents at the airport.”

On the proposal to create presidential action desks at the country’s airports, Mr. Roque said: “NAIA authorities have been proven effective in this regard. Our airport authorities have assured us that there will be no service disruption that will affect the traveling public.”

Apart from NAIA and Clark, Miascor also operates at the airports in Cebu, Davao, and Kalibo. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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