DAVAO CITY — After receiving the preventive suspension order from the Office of the Ombudsman, Manila International Airport Authority’s general manager Cesar Chiong stepped down to serve his suspension and senior assistant general manager, Bryan Co, was immediately name officer-in-charge (OIC).
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the MIAA board in a meeting approved the appointment of Co.
‘The Ombudsman ordered Chiong suspended without pay for six (6) months based on an anonymous complaint accusing him of grave abuse of authority and misconduct for reassigning about 285 MIAA employees, without providing a reason for the reassignment.
Chiong in a statement expressed confidence he will be cleared on the charges.
In a press briefing yesterday, Co said he does not see a problem in being OIC while the MIAA deals with the latest issue – the May 1 power interruption that stranded thousands of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3).
“We do not see any challenge, as long as we complete all the tasks mandated to us,” he said.
“The transition will be seamless, I think, in terms of what we have been doing. We have been working with (Chiong) since he assumed the position as general manager,” he added.
Co hold a diploma in corporate management at De La Salle University in 2005.
