GMR-Megawide maintains compliance with law after arrest order issued vs directors

The consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and India’s GMR Infrastructure Ltd. took over the concession to operate and expand Mactan Cebu International Airport, the country’s second-busiest air facility, in 2014. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Megawide Construction Corp. subsidiary GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) confirmed that warrants of arrest were issued against the directors of its Cebu Airport project for allegedly violating the Anti-Dummy Law, maintaining it complied with “all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.”

“This is a procedural step to acquire jurisdiction over the persons of the said directors, [which] is being addressed with the posting of bail,” Megawide said in a statement on Thursday.

“This is the latest development in a long line of attempts to bring down Megawide’s reputation and credibility that, will be recalled, began with its bid for the rehabilitation of NAIA,” it added, referring to its bid for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport modernization project that was discontinued by the Department of Transportation.

The arrest warrant was first reported by the news site Bilyonaryo.

GMCAC is Megawide’s venture with India’s GMR Infrastructure that won the public-private partnership contract to expand and operate the Mactan Cebu International Airport in 2014.

“GMCAC transformed the Mactan-Cebu International Airport into the Philippines’ only internationally-acclaimed and award-winning airport, and have done so through a firm adherence with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, particularly as both are widely-held publicly-listed companies,” the company said.

“Megawide and GMR honor the trust of the Filipino public and have always done so in all its projects. We will diligently respond to this case in the proper fora and abide by the judicial process,” it added.

JPV