Poe urges Aquino: Fire ‘incompetent, shortsighted’ Abaya

Senator Grace Poe and Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya. FILE PHOTOS BY JOSEPH VIDAL/PRIB

Senator Grace Poe urged President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday to immediately replace Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, and not to wait for him to resign, saying the people have already endured more than three years of the latter’s “incompetence and shortsightedness.”

“This situation is critical and the safety of the riding public is in peril. With the seemingly nonchalant stance of the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) and MRT (Metro Rail Transit) management, in not being upfront about this circumstance, I urge the good President not to wait for Abaya to resign but to replace him immediately,” Poe, said in a statement.

READ: Poe: PH needs better DOTC chief

“Five months left is an eternity to our riding public. We have endured more than three years of Abaya’s incompetence and shortsightedness,” she said.

READ: Abaya: To say traffic not a problem would be foolish

Poe, who led the Senate inquiry into the current state of the country’s public and mass transport system, earlier called for Abaya’s resignation.

To address the problem, the senator said, Aquino “can step in, take control of the DOTC and pull together all the needed government resources at its disposal to address the situation.”

READ: Poe, gusto nang maalis sa puwesto si DOTC Sec. Abaya

“The safety of the riding public is of utmost importance. The reliability of public transportation should be a priority,” she said.

Poe also warned that “potential major problems are waiting to happen with MRT3.”