SC clarifies Piatco ruling

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) clarified yesterday it did not order Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco) to pay Japanese builders Takenaka Corp. and Asahikosan Corp. for its contractual obligations for the building of the mothballed Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

SC spokesperson Ma. Victoria Gleoresty Guerra said the ruling released by the high court last Friday only affirmed a Court of Appeals (CA) decision junking the bid of Piatco for the immediate dismissal of the claims of Takenaka Corp. and Asahikosan Corp. based on two judgments of the Queen’s Bench Division in London, England in 2005.

She said the actual merits of the case are subject of another petition recently resolved by the CA, which has not yet reached the SC. Guerra made the clarification after several media outfits erroneously reported the effect of the SC ruling.

This case covers only the motion of Piatco to stop the Makati RTC from proceeding with the case. Makati RTC Branch 143 Judge Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles already ruled in favor of the claims of the Japanese firms and ordered Piatco to pay them $172 million.

The CA also stressed that while the structural soundness of the airport should not be tackled in this case, Piatco can still raise the issue in other remedies or actions.