Yasay denies lying at CA hearing

Former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Perfecto Yasay Jr. denied yesterday that he lied in testifying against the confirmation of Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez.

Answering the accusation of Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio "Tonyboy" Floirendo Jr. that he lied before the Commission on Appointments (CA), Yasay said either Floirendo "is sadly ignorant of the truth or is part of the vicious, concerted efforts to hide the truth from the Filipino people."

He said he found no conflict between his testimony and that of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Dante Canlas on the controversial contract between the government and Philippine International Air Terminals Co., Inc. (Piatco).

Piatco is the proponent-builder of the $500-million Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Yasay said he testified that the amended concession agreement, when signed by the government and Piatco on Nov. 28, 1998, had no NEDA approval as required by law and state regulations.

He said last May 6, Canlas told CA members that NEDA approval was given on Aug. 19, 1999, nearly a year after the contract was signed.

He said both statements are true and are not contradictory as Floirendo would make them appear.

However, Yasay pointed out that Canlas’ admission that NEDA gave its approval nearly a year after the contract was signed makes the deal "highly irregular" because the law requires prior NEDA approval.

He said he confronted Canlas about this fact and the NEDA head reasoned out that the "former president (Joseph Estrada)" wanted the approval.

Yasay, who now chairs the MIA-NAIA Association of Service Operators, and other groups opposed to the Piatco deal have successfully blocked the confirmation of Alvarez.

The CA has bypassed Alvarez several times. – Jess Diaz