Renaming NAIA back to MIA already junked by Supreme Court in 2020 — Palace

Malacañang on Tuesday said the Supreme Court in 2020 already junked a petition to rename Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) back to Manila International Airport (MIA), even as it acknowledged that a “congressional action” is needed to repeal the law that renamed MIA to NAIA in 1987.

At a Palace briefing, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar was asked about Duterte Youth party-list Representative Ducielle Marie Cardema’s proposed measure.

“There has to be a congressional action to repeal the Republic Act No. 6639, which renamed MIA to NAIA. It can be remembered that the Supreme Court in 2020 already junked the petition to nullify the said law,” he said.

In filing House Bill 10833, Cardema wants NAIA renamed MIA, pointing out that the current name of the airport was politicized.

“The name of our international gateway should have not been politicized in the first place,” she said.

“It was named NAIA in 1987 during the time of then-President Corazon Aquino, it was a self-serving and highly-politicized act in connection with her late husband, an anti-Marcos leader, the late Senator Ninoy Aquino, who was also close with CPP-NPA leaders and even to foreigners who claimed Sabah,” she added.

In 2020, the Supreme Court denied a petition seeking to nullify a law that renamed MIA to NAIA for “lack of merit.” — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News