ILOILO CITY — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said that it was necessary to temporarily halt operations for almost four hours at the Iloilo City Airport last Sunday, Dec. 22.
“We recognize that this temporary closure may inconvenience travelers and impact the local economy. However, the safety of our passengers, crew, and aircraft remains our top priority,” said Iloilo Airport Manager Manuela Luisa Palma.
Mayor Jerry Treñas released a series of statements on Sunday and summoned CAAP Iloilo officials to his office last Monday, Dec. 22, to explain the incident.
Treñas —who wrongfully claimed in his first statement that he was chairperson of the Regional Development Council-6 — said CAAP-Iloilo must explain the no prior announcement of the 7:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. closure of operations last Sunday.
“The runway closure was prompted by the discovery of two potholes on Runway 02. Immediate action was undertaken to address the issue and ensure the safety of passengers, flight crews, and aircraft,” the CAAP Iloilo said.
Many Ilonggos berated the mayor for ordering CAAP-Iloilo to explain the incident to him when the airport is in the province of Iloilo and CAAP is under a national government agency.
This prompted Treñas to make another statement saying he was the chairperson of the RDC-6 Infrastructure Committee.