Chavez resignation ‘unfortunate’; Tugade lost a ‘good man,’ solons say

Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez explains to reporters how a passenger lost her arm in a freak accident at the MRT-3 Ayala station. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

It was an “unexpected and unfortunate” decision that Department of Transportation (DOTr) undersecretary for rails Cesar Chavez resigned “given his evident passion” to improve the problematic Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) system, House committee on transportation chairman Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento said on Thursday.

“The resignation of Undersecretary Cesar Chavez is unexpected and unfortunate given his evident passion to ensure the improvement of the MRT 3 system. We trust that the President will immediately step in to find a suitable replacement,” Sarmiento said.

Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Rep. Jericho “Koko” Nograles, meanwhile, said that with Chavez’s exit, DOTr secretary Arthur Tugade lost an outstanding member of the agency.

“Good luck to Sec. Arthur Tugade. He lost a good man. Now all the rail problems will rest on his shoulders,” Nograles said in a text message to reporters.

READ: Opposition solons regard Chavez for ‘noble’ resignation

Even before Chavez announced his resignation, Sarmiento said the House transportation committee has already set an executive session with DOTr officials so they could “freely talk” about the situation of the MRT and how the agency would address the system issues.

“An executive session will encourage the DOTr officials to freely talk about the MRT 3 takeover and thresh out the operational and budgetary issues. This will also ensure that we do not prejudice the stand of the government in the pending court and arbitration cases,” Sarmiento said.

In the closed-door meeting on Monday next week, the DOTr is expected to present their maintenance and procurement plan for the metro train system.

The committee would like to be briefed by the DOTr since Sarmiento said it would be “unacceptable” if the DOTr would take over the MRT’s maintenance without a solid plan.

“We trust that the DOTr leadership already had a reliable and intact maintenance and procurement plan for MRT 3 in their hands even before they took over the system early this month so that, despite the present leadership void, the DOTr can still move towards the right direction as regards the MRT 3 day-to-day operations and maintenance,” he said.

Sarmiento then assured the public that his committee will not take the MRT issue lightly. /je

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