THE airport manager in Legazpi City has been relieved after an unauthorized van crossed a runway, forcing the pilot of a passenger plane to abort landing at the last minute to avert disaster, officials said yesterday.

The turboprop ATR aircraft belonging to Cebu Pacific Air was on its final approach Saturday when the van driven by the son of the airport manager blocked its path just seconds from touchdown, said airport tower supervisor George Raquion.

?The pilot was saying that if he did not pull up in time, he would have smashed into the van,? Raquion told The Associated Press.

He said Frisco Santo Domingo Jr. and his girlfriend were crossing the runway to go to the terminal. The van?s windows were closed, and the driver and his girlfriend probably didn?t hear the airport siren activated at takeoffs and landings because they were listening to music, he said.

Police said they had filed a criminal complaint against Santo Domingo Jr.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said it was investigating, and that the airport manager, the driver?s father, Frisco Santo Domingo Sr., offered to go on official leave.

Transport Secretary Leandro Mendoza relieved Santo Domingo Sr. yesterday as a result of the incident.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said he had advised Santo Domingo Sr. to retire.

?The inexcusable security breach is a disgrace,? he said.

?It happened so fast, the tower personnel froze; they couldn?t do anything,? Raquion said.

?They were waiting for an impact. The pilot was saying if he was using a bigger plane, he may have hit the van and not been able to pull the aircraft up.?

The plane was carrying 44 passengers, among them Tourism Secretary Ace Durano and his family, Durano?s aide said. The secretary was not immediately available for comment.

Cebu Pacific?s marketing director Candice Iyog said the airline had filed a complaint.

?We cannot overemphasize the importance of safety,? she said. AP, with Mar S. Arguelles