Philippines Aviation NEWS: General in fake pilot license mess is new P-Noy appointee

THE retired military general involved in the fake pilot license scandal at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), not only got his license back but is now a member of the Aquino administration.

Former Major General Romeo Dones Alamillo, a member of Philippine Military Class of 1974, was appointed by Pres. Noynoy Aquino to the board of the Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corporation -- Investment Authority (PHIVIDEC-IA), last March 1.

Prior to this, Alamillo also served as consultant to the CAAP and assistant chief of the Flight Standards Inspectorate Services (FSIS) during the term of director general Ruben Ciron, another former military official from the PMA Class of 1968.

Alamillo, sources told People’s Tonight, was hired by Ciron on the recommendation of Ciron’s mistah, retired Col. Eduardo Batac, the current spokesman of the Department of National Defense and previously chief of the FSIS.

The FSIS is tasked to investigate cases involving the issuance of fake pilot licenses. Batac and Alamillo, as co-terminus employees at the CAAP, left the agency together with Ciron last year, when director general Alfonso Cusi took over.

Cusi for his part, was replaced last January by current director general Ramon Gutierrez while former commercial pilot captain Elmer Pena, replaced Batac as FSIS chief.

Alamillo yesterday confirmed that there was an adverse report against him filed by CAAP special investigator Cesar Jose M. Lucero before Cusi.

The five page report, dated August 12, 2010, informed Cusi that Alamillo, with the approval of CAAP check pilot, Capt. Rodolfo Repasa, submitted “contradictory information” and other misleading information.

It recommended for the CAAP not to renew Alamillo’s license and for the filing of criminal and administrative cases against Repasa and sanctions against the CAAP personnel at the San Fernando airport and officials of Far East Aviation, a pilot school, for allegedly colluding with Alamillo and Repasa.

Alamillo, however, told People’s Tonight yesterday that a fact finding committee established by Cusi also last year cleared him of all the charges hurled by Lucero.

Lucero, he said, was “motivated by vendetta” owing to the many changes they proposed at the CAAP during Ciron’s tenure and which was not allegedly acceptable to CAAP regular employees.

As proof, Alamillo said the CAAP, under Gutierrez, issued back his license last January, a fact confirmed by Pena yesterday.

Pena added the replacement of Alamillo’s license was based on the documents currently in his possession.

He admitted he was not aware that there was a fact finding committee established to probe Alamillo. Neither was Pena aware that there was an adverse report filed by Lucero against Alamillo.

“But if there would be documents that would come out justifying for the revocation or confiscation of his (Alamillo) license, then we would do so. A license after all, is just a privilege,” Pena stressed.

By
Neha Jain

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