CLARK FREEPORT—The vice president for airport operations here on Thursday called for the immediate and deeper investigation on the alleged missing electric power cables amounting to P2.7 million even as the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose Luciano denied reports that the security and safety of the airport has been compromised.

Luciano said it was “business as usual” at the airport.

Ruel Angeles, CIAC engineering and maintenance manager, in a report dated Sept. 9 said the missing cables are remnants of the old power lines installed along Runway 02R/20L and Taxiway 5. These old lines are used to power the perimeter lights and not Runway 2 and Taxiway F5 as reported.

Angeles said the power cables are still intact and he admitted that he erred on his previous report with regards to the actual length and value of the alleged missing power cables. He said the power cables had already been upgraded to keep up with the standards of the ICAO.

Angeles brushed off the reports that “what were stolen belonged to a backup system that lights a runway, taxiway and the entire airfield.” He said that these “were actually standby underground power cables that could be utilized as ‘spare cable line’ for the security perimeter lighting system.”

Reynaldo Catacutan, CIAC vice president for operations and board director, earlier said that “security and safety” of the airport had been compromised due to the disappearance of the power cables.

 Catacutan said Luciano “had a lot of explaining to do” as he allegedly allowed four people not connected with the CIAC to enter highly restricted area at the airport where the power cables are. They four men were identified as Cesar Mayo, Jose Canete III, Nilo and Rolly Padua, all of Mabalacat, Pampanga.  

 But Luciano, in a statement, denied that safety and security had been compromised, adding that “it’s business as usual at the airport.”

Catacutan also assailed Luciano for branding his statements as “irresponsible” when he asked an investigation based on the report of Angeles.   

“I am just commenting based on the investigation of the CIAC departments,” said Catacutan.

He said the stolen cables belonged to backup system that lights the runway, taxiway and the entire airfield.

In a statement yesterday, Angeles said that airport “security and safety were not compromised” because the power cables at the Clark airport were already upgraded and working properly in compliance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.  

“The airfield ground lighting system for the runway and taxiway lights were not affected and are fully operational and are backed up by a standby power generator,” said Angeles.

“The report was malicious and unfounded because the power cables are intact,” according to Angeles. A field inventory conducted by the CIAC Electrical Maintenance Section discovered that some of the perimeter lights are not working but this do not affect operations of the entire airport.

 Luciano said that it is business as usual at the Clark airport which is operating smoothly debunking claims that the security and safety of the airport had been compromised.