Thursday, September 3, 1998

Lichauco: Nothing ‘midnight’ on CLA deal

Malaya
Thursday, September 3, 1998

Transport Undersecretary Josefina Lichauco, former Civil Aeronautics Board ex officio chairman, yesterday said the March 9 grant of a provisional authority to CLA Air Transport to operate all-cargo services to Japan was aboveboard.

Lichauco denied the grant of authority, which she said was made during the first CAB meeting she presided over as chairman and was upheld by then President Fidel Ramos on April 3, was a "midnight" deal.

She said it is the CAB executive committee that prepares the board agenda, undertakes preliminary evaluations and transmits its recommendations to the CAB board.

She said the permit for CLA Air Transport to use the six available slots at the Narita airport was given after an en banc hearing with the notice to all parties.

Lichauco said the Securities and Exchange Commission did not see anything wrong in the 49 percent foreign ownership of CLA Air Transport as it is not a domestic air carrier.

She said Philippine Airlines raised the issue, but CAB ruled in favor of CLA Air Transport.
She added the CAB previously allowed four 100 percent foreign-owned corporations to fly cargo between the Philippines and Japan.@

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