CIAC board to probe buildings demolition

CLARK FREEPORT – The Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) board has formed a fact-finding team to investigate the demolition of at least seven buildings owned by the state-owned firm.
CIAC chairman Nestor Mangio, in an interview, said he was designated by the board to lead the fact-finding team.
He said the board decided to conduct the investigation following complaint aired by Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo.
Pelayo claimed that warehouses at the Civil Aviation Complex have been demolished and which materials were sold as scrap.
Pelayo said among those demolished are warehouses that were supposed to be occupied for the Farm Fresh 25 project which aims to provide avenue for farmers to sell their produce.
He said that in September 17, 2008, his group wrote CIAC president Victor Luciano requesting to lease and use the buildings and facilities for the said projects.
“We started doing these works, believing that our request has already been approved as he previously expressed to us in many occasions,” Pelayo said.
Pelayo and his group have since then started renovating the dilapidated buildings, spending over P1-million.
However, starting May 2009 and all throughout the year, Pelayo said he was surprised to find out that half of the buildings where Farm Fresh 25 is located were being demolished.
“It was sold to the same contractors that demolished the Farm Fresh 25 building, justifying that the scrap would be donated to the Aeta village,” Pelayo said.
Pelayo said the demolition contractor represented by one Josie Gomez called up his son Patrick for several times, offering P450,000 for the other building.
“My son said no and got really mad, saying that the building was intended for the use of the Food Hub Project,” Pelayo said.
This prompted Pelayo to call up Luciano to inform him of the incident and the previous demolition, but the latter allegedly told him that the building was intended as donation to the Aetas.
Mangio will be backstopped by CIAC director Al Cusi, Jess Nicdao and Rafael Angeles in conducting the probe. They will also be assisted by their legal counsel Atty. Raul Dizon.
(By Albert B. Lacanlale)