THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) filed Tuesday, November 21, a plunder complaint against nine former Cabinet members under the Benigno Aquino III administration over the allegedly shady P3.8-billion contract for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-Line 3 in Metro Manila.
MRT Line 3 has been suffering from frequent glitches on top of a couple of accidents.
A coach derailed last week while carrying passengers. No one was reported hurt, but more than 100 passengers had to be evacuated. In 2014, dozens of passengers were injured when a train overshot the tracks at a terminal station.
The P3.8-billion maintenance contract with Busan Universal Rail Inc. (Buri), a Philippine-Korean group, has been canceled.
Named as respondents to the complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman are former Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and former Local Government secretary Manuel Roxas II.
Aside from Abaya and Roxas, other respondents are former Budget secretary Florencio Abad, former Finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former Energy secretary Jericho Petilla, former Science and Technology secretary Mario Montejo, former Defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin, former Public Works secretary Rogelio Singson, and former National Economic and Development Authority director general Arsenio Balisacan.
Also facing charges are former Transport undersecretaries Edwin Lopez, Rene Limcaoco and Catherine Gonzales, and former MRT-3 general manager Roman Buenafe.
Former members of the Transportation department's Bids and Awards Committee and officials of Busan Universal Railways Inc. (Buri) were also named respondents.
The now-defunct Department of Transportation and Communications headed by Abaya had awarded the allegedly anomalous three-year contract to Buri for the maintenance operations of the MRT-3.
The DOTr on November 6 revoked the maintenance contract with Buri.
In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured the public that the government would go after the people liable for the deteriorating state of the MRT.
Roque added that the executive department was optimistic that the anti-graft body would expedite the resolution of the case.
"We must stress the great suffering of the riding public as the result of the failure to deliver on the responsibilities of public office such as the case of the current state of the MRT-3 system (that) carries consequences, and that those accountable will be held liable," Roque said.
"We are expecting that now that there's a formal complaint, the process will be speedy. Now that the Office of the Ombudsman acknowledges the predicaments of the public because of MRT woes, we are looking forward that they would give priority on investigating the issue," he added.
With the leadership of incumbent Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Roque said MRT passengers can expect improved services.
Roque, however, said the government does not want to impose a deadline in addressing the frequent technical glitches and capacity issues of MRT-3.
"On the positive steps taken to improve MRT-3, he (Tugade) assured me, number one, that they are going to procure a reliable maintenance contractor. Number two, they're building new rails. They're buying new train cars and new signalling system. They are, in other words, revamping almost completely the MRT," he said.
"It's very difficult to set a deadline. I think Secretary Tugade knows that we're looking up to him for a solution. I'm sure that Secretary Tugade is taking all the necessary steps," Roque added. (SunStar Philippines with AP)