Fixing the dismal state of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) may have already taken its toll on its officials as a top executive reportedly “assaulted” his colleague on Friday during a meeting with foreign aid agencies who are helping the government fix the country’s main train line.
In a text message, MRT 3 director for operations Mike Capati complained to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade that he was allegedly “physically assaulted” by MRT 3 general manager Rodolfo Garcia in front of representatives of the Australian Agency for International Development and the Asian Development Bank.
It was unclear, however, from the text message shared to the media by former Undersecretary for rails Cesar Chavez what prompted Garcia to hit Capati.
The Department of Transportation, however, downplayed the incident, saying it was normal in any organization to have heated management situations, “especially with individuals who are passionate about delivering on that organization’s mandate.”—JOVIC YEE