Roque says previous administration 'destroyed' MRT
Malacañang lamented the remarks made by Vice President Leni Robredo about the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) where she cast doubt on the reason why the Department of Transportation (DOTr) filed plunder charges against former Cabinet members of the Aquino administration.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Duterte administration is doing its best to address the problem which its predecessor created.
The Vice President was earlier reported to have said that the DOTr should file charges against former government officials based only on evidence and not just to look for a scapegoat.
“Dapat kung mag-file ng kaso, ito ay base sa ebidensya na mayroon talagang pagkakasala na ginawa (When they file a case, they should base it on evidence that there was really a misdeed).
“Hindi siya ginagawang dahilan para lang maghanap ng scapegoat para sa mga bagay na hindi nagagawa (I hope they are not using that just to look for an excuse for failure to address the issue),” Robredo said.
“We find the Vice President’s remarks unfortunate. With all due respect to Vice President Robredo, the MRT-3 issue is not about covering up shortcomings,” Roque countered in a statement Friday.
Roque said the administration has been dealing with the problem and that the President even apologized for the inconvenience the MRT mess has caused the riding public.
“The Administration has faced the MRT-3 mess squarely. The President has even apologized over a recent train mishap. Transport officials admitted that while they cannot solve the problems overnight, they are working double time to restore the convenience and reliability of the MRT-3 by getting a proven maintenance firm and buying needed parts,” the Palace official said.
Roque also hit the previous administration for ‘destroying’ the MRT.
“We cannot deny the fact that these are cumulative problems that the Administration inherited, and the long-suffering commuters of Metro Manila have known for years how the past government destroyed the MRT,” he said.
Roque added that the filing of charges for plunder against officials of the previous administration was done to hold them accountable.
“These officials facilitated the negotiated procurement of long-term maintenance contracts to BURI (Busan Universal Rain Inc.), which as per the Supplemental Complaint Affidavit filed by the DOTr, ‘turned the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) into a bottomless cash cow entering into one anomalous procurement project,'” he said.
“We cannot simply sweep the sins of incompetence and corruption under the rug with the harsh reality of half a million MRT-3 passengers suffering daily staring us in the face,” he added.
Last month, the DOTr filed plunder complaints against nine top Cabinet members of former President Benigno Aquino III over the alleged anomalous contract for the maintenance of the MRT.
Among the respondents were former DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, who served as DOTC chief before Abaya.
Former Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad, former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, former Energy secretary Jericho Petilla, former Science and Technology chief Mario Montejo, former Defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin, former Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson, and former National Development and Economic Administration secretary Arsenio Balicasan were also charged.
Prior to this, the DOTr has filed on October 2017, a separate graft complaint against three former officials, along with other BURI officials.
Last week, Roque rode the MRT himself and found the experience “not that bad.”
Malacañang lamented the remarks made by Vice President Leni Robredo about the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) where she cast doubt on the reason why the Department of Transportation (DOTr) filed plunder charges against former Cabinet members of the Aquino administration.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Duterte administration is doing its best to address the problem which its predecessor created.
The Vice President was earlier reported to have said that the DOTr should file charges against former government officials based only on evidence and not just to look for a scapegoat.
“Dapat kung mag-file ng kaso, ito ay base sa ebidensya na mayroon talagang pagkakasala na ginawa (When they file a case, they should base it on evidence that there was really a misdeed).
“Hindi siya ginagawang dahilan para lang maghanap ng scapegoat para sa mga bagay na hindi nagagawa (I hope they are not using that just to look for an excuse for failure to address the issue),” Robredo said.
“We find the Vice President’s remarks unfortunate. With all due respect to Vice President Robredo, the MRT-3 issue is not about covering up shortcomings,” Roque countered in a statement Friday.
Roque said the administration has been dealing with the problem and that the President even apologized for the inconvenience the MRT mess has caused the riding public.
“The Administration has faced the MRT-3 mess squarely. The President has even apologized over a recent train mishap. Transport officials admitted that while they cannot solve the problems overnight, they are working double time to restore the convenience and reliability of the MRT-3 by getting a proven maintenance firm and buying needed parts,” the Palace official said.
Roque also hit the previous administration for ‘destroying’ the MRT.
“We cannot deny the fact that these are cumulative problems that the Administration inherited, and the long-suffering commuters of Metro Manila have known for years how the past government destroyed the MRT,” he said.
Roque added that the filing of charges for plunder against officials of the previous administration was done to hold them accountable.
“These officials facilitated the negotiated procurement of long-term maintenance contracts to BURI (Busan Universal Rain Inc.), which as per the Supplemental Complaint Affidavit filed by the DOTr, ‘turned the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) into a bottomless cash cow entering into one anomalous procurement project,'” he said.
“We cannot simply sweep the sins of incompetence and corruption under the rug with the harsh reality of half a million MRT-3 passengers suffering daily staring us in the face,” he added.
Last month, the DOTr filed plunder complaints against nine top Cabinet members of former President Benigno Aquino III over the alleged anomalous contract for the maintenance of the MRT.
Among the respondents were former DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, who served as DOTC chief before Abaya.
Former Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad, former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, former Energy secretary Jericho Petilla, former Science and Technology chief Mario Montejo, former Defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin, former Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson, and former National Development and Economic Administration secretary Arsenio Balicasan were also charged.
Prior to this, the DOTr has filed on October 2017, a separate graft complaint against three former officials, along with other BURI officials.
Last week, Roque rode the MRT himself and found the experience “not that bad.”
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