MCIAA insists: Won’t payP482M lot rentals
Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Steve Dicdican reiterated that he will not pay Chinese businessman Richard Unchuan of the rentals of the airport lot he has claimed ownership.
Dicdican said he is not afraid of Unchuan despite Unchuan’s manifestation before the court to cite him in contempt for uttering statements before the media that appeared to be “contumacious and show complete disregard of the subjudice rule.”
Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court Judge Ester Veloso issued an order dated October 6 for Dicdican to explain why he should not be cited in contempt of court.
The Supreme Court last year had ordered the MCIAA to pay Unchuan P482 million in rentals for the use of the property found in the airport.
Last year, the SC decided in favor of Unchuan and has ordered MCIAA to pay for the rental fees.
“Compliance of the Supreme Court decision is not on the table. If we do not fight this now, MCIAA will become bankrupt and there will be no airport left,” said Dicdican.
He said he would rather spend all of their resources challenging these “ludicrous claims” rather than hand over all their hard-earned money without a fight.
Dicdican said the government already bought the lots Unchuan is claiming and this fact is even admitted and affirmed by written sworn accounts of the landowners, yet the courts favored the latter.
He said Unchuan is allegedly backed up by some members of the local Chinese community. Dicdican insinuated that these Chinese backers are allegedly well connected.
According to the SC ruling, the MCIAA is a co-owner of the property and Dicdican said a co-owner can use the property for free and should have been charged with interest, not rent.
Dicdican said the MCIAA is even willing to repurchase the lot from Unchuan in the amount of P130,000 based on all deeds of sales while Unchuan is claiming P2.5 billion.
Unchuan has threatened to file cases, including disbarment, against Dicdican for his defiance of the court order.
“Mr. Unchuan, I am not afraid of you. I will devote all of this office’s resources, all of my personal resources and all of my family’s resources against you…and that person who we all know is behind you,” Dicdican said.
He also threatened to go after the lawyers of Unchuan. Dicdican said that Unchuan can only collect from MCIAA if he and the entire members of the board are removed from office.
“On a more personal level, I am doing this so that my son and the future generation will not be deprived of the opportunities that our airport will bring,” he added.
Dicdican is also planning to file administrative cases against the court sheriff who allegedly tried to enforce the court ruling disregarding the correct procedure.
Even the judges who issued the reconstituted titles on the MCIA lots will be included in the barrage of cases that Dicdican will be filing.
“MCIAA is under no obligation to pay at this time. I would like to allay the fears of the airport stakeholders that they will be held in indirect contempt for not complying with the writ of execution and the sheriff’s demands. In categorical terms, I am telling you that the court and the sheriff are wrong. If you decide to heed these illegal maneuvers to execute an unjust decision and handover any money owed to MCIAA over to the sheriff, I will hold you in default and exercise every right and legal remedy, including but not limited to rescinding your contracts, excluding you from the airport, or not renewing your contracts,” Dicdican said.