‘Whistleblowers’ expose MRT-3 anomaly – Roque

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC

Whistleblowers have surfaced and started cooperating with the government to expose the anomalous Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) deals and contracts, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the statements of whistleblowers would support the plunder complaints being prepared against former officials of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).

“In fairness, ngayon lang lumalabas ‘yung mga whistleblower. Ngayon lang may hawak tayong whistleblower [na magsasabi] kung paano hatian,” Roque said in a radio interview.

(In fairness, whistleblowers have already surfaced. It is only just now that we have witnesses who would explain how former officials share kickbacks.)

Roque said there was a certain Pangasinan group at the MRT-3 that divided the funds intended for the maintenance of the train line to certain parties: one-third went to the group; one-third to a political machinery; and the remaining third went to the actual maintenance of the train line.

“Kapag one-third lang sa binabayad ang ginugugol para sa MRT-3, talagang masisira iyan at makalintik-lintik gaya ng nangyayari ngayon,“ Roque said.

(If only a third of the money goes to MRT-3, it would really breakdown and deteriorate just like what is happening today.)

Roque announced on Tuesday that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Solicitor General to pursue new cases against former DOTC officials and hold them accountable for awarding the maintenance contract to Busan Universal Rails, Inc. (BURI), whom the spokesperson described as a company with “absolutely no track record.“

READ: Palace to pursue fresh cases vs ex-DOTC execs over MRT-3 mess

The spokesperson said the Solicitor General was already preparing the documentary evidence and testimonies that would shed light on the mess.

The public has criticized the DOTr for its failure to address the perennial problem affecting the trains and its commuters over worn out components. /cbb