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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOTr chief Bautista confirms Aplasca's resignation: 'He's very sad about it'

DOTr chief Bautista confirms Aplasca's resignation: 'He's very sad about it'

Published Sep 26, 2023 04:19 pm

At A Glance

  • Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista confirmed on Tuesday night, Sept. 26 that his office has received the resignation letter of Office of Transportation Security (OTS) Administrator Mao Aplasca. 

FB_IMG_1695642305489.jpgDOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista (Facebook)

 

 

 

 

 

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista confirmed on Tuesday night, Sept. 26 that his office has received the resignation letter of Office of Transportation Security (OTS) Administrator Mao Aplasca. 

"I received his resignation letter this afternoon," Bautista told reporters in a chance interview at the House of Representatives in Batasan Complex, Quezon City. 

"Ito ay isa-submit na (We will submit it). Yung (The) resignation letter actually is addressed to the President because he is a presidential appointee and of course to me, also," he said. 

"Sabi niya (He said) he's very sad about it," Bautista said of Aplasca.

Bautista and other DOTr officials were at the House for the plenary debates on the agency's proposed budget for 2024. 

On Monday, House Speaker Martin Romualdez released a strongly worded statement wherein he told Aplasca to tender his resignation immediately over the embarrassing conduct of OTS personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). 

Should Aplasca refuse, Romualdez said he would personally block the OTS budget in the ongoing deliberations on the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget for 2024. 

There is palpable urgency with Romualdez's resignation call on Aplasca since the House plans to approve the GAB on third and final reading Wednesday, Sept. 27.

Bautista clarified that he wasn't actually in his office when Aplasca tendered his resignation Tuesday, as he was at the Senate. But they spoke to each other earlier. 

"He said he will submit his resignation--and he did--in the afternoon. Unfortunately I was not not when it was submitted. 

"Sabi ko sa kanya (I told him)...we have to accept the fact also that we have responsibilities as officials," Bautista said. He added the Aplasca's deputy could be "appointed" for the meantime. 

Romualdez has said that the OTS personnel shenanigans---which include stealing money from foreigners at NAIA--have placed Filipinos in a bad light.

 

Related Tags

Department of Transportation Martin Romualdez Mao Aplasca Jaime Bautista
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