Abaya Admits Anomalous in MRT Scandal and Point Finger to Mar Roxas

Former Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio "Jun" Abaya admitted he approved a maintenance deal for the Metro Rail Transit - 3 without knowing the maintenance provider's background.

Abaya created the disclosure throughout a Senate public services committee hearing during which she was quizzed by Senator Grace Poe on whether he was aware that PH Trams was incorporated a few months before winning the bid, and had a capital of only P625,000.

Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya on Monday admitted about the signing of P54-million-a-month Metro Rail Transit (MRT) maintenance agreement without the knowledge that the firm that would take on the deal.

Abaya, assumed office in October 2012, admitted not knowing the “facts” on the contract with PH Trams-CB&T. Abaya told he signed the contract under the “presumption that the organization was doing its job.”

“Ang pinagtataka ko lang…hindi ba dapat sumagi sa isip niyo, ang PH Trams kasama nga dito pero yung may track record talaga ay yung CB&T?” Poe stated of the joint venture.

PH Trams-CB&T was the maintenance provider for the MRT 3 from October 20, 2012 to September 3, 2013, before being replaced by Global-APT JV from September 5, 2013 to July 4, 2015. The existing maintenance provider is with Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI).

“Nung nagkaroon ng desisyon…Nago-orient ako sa DOTC. The last thing I would want to know is to how all these bidders are partnering themselves. I was orienting sa air, rail and sea,” Abaya said.

He told here was a “presumption” on his part “that the organization, the bureaucracy was doing its job.”

“Imagine if i came there as a doubting Thomas being careful that I won’t sign anything, MRT 3 would have stopped on October 19, no maintenance provider, Sumitomo (the previous maintenance
provider) would have packed their bags, titigil. That I couldn’t have explained to our people,” Abaya said.

“Kilala mo yung pinalitan so siguro may tiwala ka. So sige, okay na yan,” Poe said. Poe was referring to Abaya’s predecessor in the DOTC, former Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II. Roxas left the DOTC to transfer to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), replacing the late Secretary Jesse Robredo. “If you want to find out, you could find out ma’am,” Abaya told Poe. Poe and Roxas both ran for the presidency in the 2016 nationalelections. Roxas placed second to the eventual winner, President Rodrigo Duterte, while Poe placed third.

Source: DugongMaharlika