Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya. PRIB
MANILA, Philippines – Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya on Thursday welcomed the Ombudsman’s order to have him investigated over the anomalous maintenance contract for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).
“If you have nothing to hide, there is no reason to fear any investigation,” he said in a statement.
“As always, we will cooperate fully with the investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman, just as we have with investigations undertaken by different branches and agencies of government, such as the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the National Bureau of Investigation,” Abaya added.
Abaya, together with former MRT-3 general manager Al Vitangcol, is facing criminal and administrative charges for the anomalous negotiated procurement of a maintenance provider.
But the Secretary said the officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications “remain committed to transparency and the eradication of corruption in government.”
He welcomed the probe, saying it is the public that will “benefit from the search for truth.”
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