JV Ejercito: NAIA fiasco exposes PH airspace to security threats
January 05, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on
Thursday said the recent fallout of the Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) of
the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) exposed the country’s airspace to
invasion and other security threats.
“For several hours, we were blind. We don’t
know what aircraft, what other vessels are coming in. We had no idea for the
time it was down. More than the safety concern, I think it’s also a national
security concern,” Ejercito said in an interview.
A sudden glitch with the system downed more
than 3,000 inbound and outbound flights throughout the country and affected
around 65,000 international and domestic passengers on New Year’s Day.
Ejercito said the NAIA’s ATMS is up to date
and can detect aircraft entering the country’s airspace.
However, the system needs to be supported by
backups to avoid glitches from paralyzing air traffic operations, he added.
“It’s making use of satellites that get
signals from each aircraft. So, pati yung mga pumapasok na military planes will
be detected,” he said.
Previously, the lawmaker from San Juan called
the incident a “national embarrassment” and a “threat” to the country’s
territorial integrity and the safety of thousands of passengers.
He also slammed the Civil Aviation Authority
of the Philippines for failing to upgrade and back up the country’s main ATMS.
Three days after the incident, Ejericto filed
Senate Resolution No. 400, directing the Senate Committee on Public Services to
conduct an investigation on the said fiasco and produce recommendations to
strengthen the country’s aviation industry.
The said panel will be holding its first hearing on
the incident on January 12.
