Consumer group challenges Aquino to step in and fix LRT Santolan project mess

A consumer welfare group, which sued Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) officials for graft over an allegedly anomalous service contract, dared President Aquino, on Wednesday, to act on what it claimed was a possible threat to the safety of the elevated train system.

In a statement, the National Coalition of Filipino Consumers (NCFC) called for “immediate assistance from higher authorities” to resolve the legal issues over the awarding of the maintenance contract of the LRT Santolan-Recto line to Busan-EDC Joint Venture.

Oliver San Antonio, NCFC counsel and spokesperson, said corruption in the LRTA and its mother agency, the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), has only put the safety of LRT commuters in danger.

“It’s very ironic that the government uses a transportation metaphor to describe itself when the entire transport sector is in shambles. We challenge the President, no less, to do something about this,” San Antonio said.

“We can’t see where ‘tuwid na daan’ (straight path) is headed because there’s traffic, the commuter trains are faulty (and) transport contracts are feasted on by the corrupt in the DOTC and (the) LRTA,” he added, referring to the Aquino administration’s anticorruption slogan.

He said “drastic intervention is needed” amid the delay in the completion of the bidding process for the maintenance of the LRT Santolan-Recto line to “prevent further violations of the law and protect rider safety.”

He noted that the LRTA had yet to formally award the maintenance project more than 120 days after the opening of the bids which, he said, violated the provisions of the Government Procurement Act.

According to San Antonio, their group had already noted the legal and safety issues regarding the Busan-EDC bid in the case they filed in the Ombudsman last July.

“On a policy front, however, nothing’s moving. If the (Aquino) government is truly serious about addressing the transport issue, now’s the time to act,” the NCFC official said.

He said they were also checking on information that the appointments of the LRTA bids and awards committee (BAC) members were not renewed, pointing out that this would only lead to “serious questions on the legality and validity of any BAC action.”

“These factors, taken together, made ‘higher up’ intervention an imperative,” San Antonio said.

In its complaint for graft, the NCFC accused 10 LRTA officials of conspiracy in “blatantly… (giving) Busan-EDC unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference in the discharge of their official (duty).”

“Such blatant grant of advantage and benefit was committed through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence,” the group said.

Among those charged were BAC chair Jose Jobel Belarmino and members Amador Calado Jr., Wilfredo Alday, Jesus Jimenez, Nestor Flores, Anita Lomboya, Joseph Hagos and Adelo Jandayan.

Also included were BAC secretariat members Alwinston Pillos and Michael Cueto.