The PhilStar Global reported that the Aboitiz Group have taken control of AirAsia Philippines through the AA Com Travel Philippines Inc., the firm that bought a 60% stake in AirAsia Philippines.
The Aboitiz Group through its holding company, Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), then immediately denies the report and demanded that the report be taken down.
The Philippine Star is controlled by Hasting Holdings, a unit of Mediaquest Holdings. MediaQuest Holdings is a subsidiary of the PLDT Benefecial Trust Fund. PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund is the is the defined benefit pension plan covering all the regular and permanent employees of PLDT. PLDT is controlled by Manny Pangilinan. Manny Pangilinan is the point man of the Salim Group’s businesses in the Philippines.
The supposedly “fake news” is not actually the first “fake news” of PhilStar. Back in 2020 after ABS-CBN lost its congressional franchise to broadcast, PhilStar reported that PLDT was buying Sky Cable from the Lopezes and ABS-CBN for around 15 to 18 Billion. ABS-CBN immediately denied the report and commented that it was not soliciting any bid for Sky Cable.
Fast forward to 2023, the Lopezes and ABS-CBN struck a deal with PLDT to sell Sky Cable to PLDT for just 6.75 Billion.
The report that the Aboitiz Group is taking control of AirAsia Philippines, could be a similar story to that of PLDT buying Sky Cable. It could be that indeed there is a negotiation for the Aboitiz Group to take control of AirAsia Philippines and that the report is a leak. And that there could be other parties interested in AirAsia Philippines who wanted to scuttle the deal between the Aboitiz and AirAsia.
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