THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it hopes to receive a report by late this week detailing the findings of an investigation into Cebu Pacific, amid ongoing hearings by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) on the carrier鈥檚 recent spate of flight cancellations.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade told reporters Tuesday he has given the aviation regulator 10 days to submit a report on its ongoing hearings with Cebu Pacific operator Cebu Air, Inc., and from there will decide what to do moving forward.
鈥Sinabi ko 10 days. Magsa-submit sila ng report sakin. Ayaw kong pangunahan 鈥檡ung imbestigasyon… Ang gusto ko nga Biyernes mag-submit na sila [I said 10 days. They will submit a report to me. I don鈥檛 want to preempt the investigation. I actually want them to submit by Friday],鈥 he told reporters in a chance interview Tuesday.
鈥淣ext week lalabas 鈥檡ung report. Doon sa report at resulta, 鈥檡un ang magbabase kung anong gagawin natin [The report will be released next week. Based on the report and the result (of the investigation), we will decide what to do next],鈥 Mr. Tugade added.
The CAB has conducted two formal hearings with Cebu Pacific since last week — on May 2 and May 6 — to investigate the airline鈥檚 decision to cancel flights starting late April.
Cebu Pacific has been canceling 鈥渁pproximately 10 flights a day鈥 in May, and earlier canceled 23 flights from April 28 to 30, due to an 鈥渦nprecedented level of disruption鈥 to its operations.
It told the stock exchange last week the reduction in daily flights, particularly those using Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is intended to 鈥渃reate space in its schedule for operational recovery.鈥
Last week, the CAB requested the Gokongwei-controlled carrier to submit a process analysis of its operations, which it was saying was the reason for its flight cancellations.
Asked for an update after Monday鈥檚 hearing, CAB Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla was not able to respond at deadline time.
Cebu Pacific also declined to comment pending the release of the CAB report.
Cebu Air shares lost P0.30 or 0.37% to close at P81.05 Tuesday. — Denise A. Valdez
