ILOILO CITY - Tension marred the first day of operations of the new Iloilo international airport in Cabatuan town after porters in the old airport insisted on working in the new facility.

Traffic was briefly stalled after airport security guards and members of the Aviation Security Group prevented around 50 workers employed by businessman Bernie Miaque from entering the main entrance of the airport. The workers on board an Isuzu Elf truck led by Miaque's brother, Ronnie, arrived around 7:30 a.m. and managed to enter the entrance leading to the 3-kilometer access road where a brief standoff and shouting match with Air Transportation Office security guards occurred.

The porters were stopped by more guards and members of the Aviation Security Group at the main gate leading to the airport compound, around 200 meters from the passenger terminal building.

The tension was diffused after three hours after ATO Assistant Secretary Nilo Jatico held a dialog with Miaque.

Miaque said that he is merely exercising an order of the Regional Trial Court Branch 37 that upheld the validity of his contract with ATO to operate porterage and car rental services which he operated in the old airport in Mandurriao District in Iloilo City.

He said the extended contract is valid from March 1, 2002 to March 1, 2012 and he has even paid the concession fee in advance.

"Why did they prevent us from entering? This is a public place," Miaque said in a telephone interview.

ATO Western Visayas manager Alan Java said the new airport does not need porters because passengers can use pushcarts to carry their baggages as in other modern airports.

Jatico said they have referred the issue to newly-appointed ATO Assistant Secretary Eduardo "Red" Kapunan who will evaluate it, but no porter will be allowed until it is resolved.

Miaque has been operating various businesses at the old airport since 1989 but has been locked in a bitter dispute with the ATO over his businesses.

Miaque's restaurant at the oil airport was demolished last month for unlawful detainer after a local court ruled that he failed to pay rental and concessionaire fees to the ATO.

The dispute between ATO and Miaque had disturbed the operations of the old airport in the past.*NPB

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