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[av_heading heading=’9 PNoy Cabinet men face raps over MRT-3 contract ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) filed on Tuesday criminal charges against nine Cabinet members under the Benigno Aquino III presidency for the allegedly anomalous Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) maintenance contract.
Charged with plunder and graft at the Office of the Ombudsman were former Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and former DOTr head Jose Emilio Abaya.
Named co-respondents were 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 National Economic and Development Authority director general Arsenio Balisacan, and former Public Works secretary Rogelio Singson.
The respondents were charged for their hand in the P3.81-billion maintenance contract awarded to Busan Joint Venture (JV) in December 2015, said Reinier Yebra, DOTr undersecretary for legal affairs and procurement.
Former DOTr undersecretaries Edwin Lopez, Rene Limcaoco and Catherine Gonzales; former MRT-3 general manager Roman Buenafe; former Bids and Awards Committee officials; and former Busan Universal Rail (Buri), Inc. officials were also named in the charge sheet.
While the contract was awarded to the Busan JV, a different entity (BURI) was implementing the contract, Yebra said. BURI was formed in January 2016 allegedly on the order of Abaya and other transport officials.
“The government suffered undue injury because of the over P921 million paid to BURI so far for the payment of dismal services,” said Yebra. “This is not a politically motivated case as you can see (Aquino) was not included since he does not have a role on the deal.”
The complaint supplements the October 2017 graft complaint filed against Abaya and other former DOTr officials where Roxas, Abad, Purisima, Petilla, Montejo, Gazmin, Singson, and Balisacan were not included as respondents.
The government temporarily took over the maintenance of the troubled MRT-3 on Nov. 6 while waiting for a new maintenance provider by the end of the year.
SCAPEGOATS?
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon believes those charged were “scapegoats.”
“After almost one year and a half, I suggest to the Department of Transportation that they stop looking for scapegoats and start looking for solutions,” he said. “Up to this point, the MRT is still in such a state that it does not serve the purpose for which it was formed.”
The Ilonggo senator believes the respondents did not profit from the MRT-3 deal. “I have confidence in the integrity of these people.”
Sen. Grace Poe, meanwhile, welcomed the filing of the complaint.
“Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa DOTr na sila’y nag-file na kasi importante talaga na malaman ng ating mga kababayan na hindi ito pinapabayaan at dapat may managot dito,” Poe said.
She also reminded the Transportation department to ensure the safe operation of the MRT.
“Ang pag-file ng kaso ay isang hakbang lamang pero dapat patuloy ang pag-iisip ng solusyon para matugunan ang pangangailangan ng maayos na pagpapatakbo ng tren,” she said./PN
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