By Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:57:00 08/03/2010
MANILA, Philippines—While trying “moral suasion” to resolve the dispute between Philippine Airlines (PAL) management and its pilots, the government is not ruling out a takeover as one of the “options” if “no amicable settlement is reached,” Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Tuesday.
But De Lima stressed that a government takeover was “something we want to avoid” although, she added, “it does not mean it is not possible.”
De Lima said she was “preparing options in case no amicable settlement is reached.”
The government has stepped into the dispute between PAL management and its employees after a group of pilots resigned for higher-paying jobs abroad.
The resignations have crippled the operations of the country’s flag carrier, which was forced to cancel domestic and international flights starting last weekend.
De Lima said the government was currently trying “moral suasion” by appealing to the "sense of nationalism" of the parties.
The government has initiated a dialogue with the parties concerned, sitting down with the PAL management first Monday.
De Lima said government is scheduled to meet with the pilots this Tuesday.
"Hopefully, we can again meet tomorrow [Wednesday] with both the management and the pilots," she said.
Aside from moral suasion, De Lima said there were also regulation and mandatory directives which government could use.
"This is imbued with public interest so the government has to step in."
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