The concessionaire of the extension parking lot at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 will be liable for the 19 cars that were burned on Monday, according to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
Interviewed during Dos Por Dos on Tuesday, MIAA General Manager Eric Ines said that the concessionaire, namely Philippine Skylanders International, Inc. (PSI), has promised to be accountable for the vehicles that were affected by the fire.
"Hindi man nila kasalanan yung nangyare lahat ng nadamage na vehicles doon sa parking area na concession nila ay sila ang mananagot," Ines said.
The PSI, according to Ines, will talk to the car owners or help them communicate with the vehicles' insurance.
Ines said the MIAA has no liability for any incident that may occur on the parking lot, as stated in the contract signed in 2019.
"Nung pinatawag namin nung hapon, pinakita namin yung part nung contract, so wala kaming liability. Ang sabi sa contract na napirmahan noong 2019 pa, sila ang mananagot kung mayroon mang pangyayare sa kanilang lugar na inuupahan," Ines said.
"Hindi namin pinakawalan hanggang sa makausap niya yung mas nakatataas sa kaniya dahil general manager din yung nakausap namin. Tinawagan niya sa abroad yung [may-ari], bumalik at sabi ko hindi ka namin papakawalan hanggat hindi naaayos," he furthered.
Meanwhile, MIAA management still can't determine the cause of the blaze, whether it started from a flammable vehicle or cigarrete.
"Maraming theory ang sinasabi nila. Meron yung siguro may sumindi, pero hindi ko alam kasi wala namang tao. Nireview pa nila yung CCTV, pero walang makitang tao," said the general manager.
During the incident, Ines said the security guards from the area tried to use a fire extinguisher, but it was said to be too strong.
MIAA's rapid intervention fire truck immediately responded to the area of the incident.
According to RH Sherwin Alfaro's report on Monday, the fire started at 1 p.m. and was declared fire out at around 2:30 p.m.
PSI is one of the pioneers of the logistics industry, operating at the strategic location of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Complex for 44 years.
