One more to go
House probe on Iloilo airport mess nears conclusion

By Florence F. Hibionada

The Congressional probe conducted on the alleged anomalies surrounding the multi-billion construction of the New Iloilo Airport Development Project (NIADP) is almost at the finish line.

As such, probers of the House Committee on Good Government said some 95% of the needed information is already in place and validation underway so appropriate recommendation will be made on the subject.

And one more public hearing is all it takes now for the Committee's work to conclude with Congressional sources relaying to The News Today (TNT) such will definitely be done in Metro Manila. 

Since the last public hearing brought to Iloilo in April, probe proponents pushed for a comeback however lack of government funds played the primary reason in preventing a return and a “take-two” here in Iloilo City. 

The last hearing date was not immediately confirmed.

The House probe resumed its investigation Tuesday with principal airport characters called anew by the Committee.  Among those who left for Manila were Board Member Manny Gallar and Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. 

Saved for the final hearing will be the appearance of top officials of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the contractors of the over P6 billion airport project.

Primary issues set to be resolved are allegations of graft and corruption in the project implementation particularly in the quarry operations and the purported irregularities on the government processes employed. 

Among those dragged into the fray were reported allies of Governor Tupas said to have been used as dummies of the quarry operators but were actually serving the interests of the governor and his closest in associates. 

Tupas has since denied the accusations and dismissed the charges as rehashed, politically motivated and unsubstantiated statements courtesy of his political detractors.

Representative Arthur Defensor, Committee on Good Government chair, has said in an earlier TNT interview that Committee findings and recommendation will be ready in two to three months after the probe concludes.