Suing Abaya not solution to MRT woes, Palace tells Poe

A Palace official on Saturday said suing Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya over the persistent problems hounding the Metro Rail Transit-Line 3 (MRT) was not the answer to the country’s transport woes.

Reacting to the pronouncement of Sen. Grace Poe, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III said all Filipinos, including the administration, were frustrated with the delayed reforms for the country’s deteriorating mass transport system.

“Lahat naman tayo hindi natutuwa na medyo naaantala ang ibang mga reporma at improvement ng mga services na talagang kailangan natin. Ngunit ang mga dahilan na nito ay dahil marami talagang mga matataas na tao na nababangga ng mga reporma at pagbabago na kailangan para sa isang sistema, lalo na, let’s say, sa LRT, MRT na talagang beyond capacity at talagang nakatali sa mga kontrata na hindi naman fair para sa publiko at sa pamahalaan,” Quezon told state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

As to Poe’s statement that Abaya was incompetent and shortsighted, Quezon said the senator should maximize her post, in aid of legislation, to “ask for more information” why the MRT was at its present state.

“Ang medyo katakataka lang dito ay kung mayroon kang nakikitang problema, bakit mo dadalhin sa demandahan when, as a member of the Senate, ang solusyon naman ay tingnan ang sitwasyon, tingnan kung saan ba may pagkukulang, saan ba may mga reporma na makakatulong at gumawa ng batas para dito,” he said.

In a student forum in Pampanga, Poe on Friday said the Senate subcommittee on public services which she heads would submit a report recommending the filing of charges against Abaya and other officials for “negligence of duty” over the MRT woes.

“The problem with the Department of Transportation and Communications is its leadership or [the] lack of it … He (Abaya) should be charged. He is responsible,” said the presidential aspirant, who previously called on President Benigno Aquino III to fire Abaya for incompetence.