Another legal battle erupts over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project, as a fresh petition challenges the airport’s management transfer to the San Miguel-led New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC). The case has now reached the Supreme Court, intensifying the drama surrounding this high-stakes public infrastructure deal.
Lawyers Rico Domingo and Ceasar Oracion have taken the fight to the highest court. They filed a petition seeking a temporary restraining order and other legal remedies to halt the ongoing PPP project. Their move aims to stop what they call a grave abuse of discretion by government agencies in pushing forward with the bidding process.
The petition names several key players: the Department of Transportation, Manila International Airport Authority, the Pre-Qualification, Bids and Awards Committee for the NAIA PPP Project, the Cabinet, the PPP Governing Board, and the NNIC itself. According to the petitioners, these bodies ignored new legal frameworks, continuing under the now-repealed Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law instead of the updated Republic Act 11966, also known as the new PPP Code.
Adding fuel to the controversy, the petitioners argue the project proceeded without proper consultation or approval from the Sanggunian, making the entire process questionable. This isn’t the first time the concession agreement faces legal hurdles—earlier this year, several lawyers similarly challenged the project’s implementation.
In response, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon defended the deal vigorously. At a press briefing in April, he insisted the concession agreement followed fair and transparent procedures. “This was a properly bid out concession agreement, advised no less than by the Asian Development Bank,” Dizon declared, reaffirming the government’s commitment to the project and the deal’s legitimacy.
As the Supreme Court reviews the latest petition, many await the outcome that could reshape the future of NAIA’s management and the broader landscape of public-private partnerships in the country. The battle for control over one of the nation’s busiest airports is far from over.