Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 17) — Senator Grace Poe on Friday is calling for a Senate Blue Ribbon investigation on the problematic Metro Rail Transit (MRT).
Poe heads of the Senate Committee on Public Services that is probing the MRT glitches. She said she wants the committee chaired by Senator Richard Gordon to probe officials of both the Department of Transportation and the defunct Department of Transportation and Communication.
“Hindi lamang committee ko sa public services kung hindi na rin ang Blue Ribbon Committee mag-imbestiga dito kasama ni Senator Gordon dahil hindi lamang ito kasalanan ng mga teknikal na bagay, kasama dito ang pagpapatakbo ng isang ahensya,” Poe told CNN Philippines’ Balitaan on Friday.
[Translation: This should be probed not only by my Committee on Public Services, but by the Blue Ribbon Committee with Senator Gordon, because it is not only technical that is at fault, but those who run the agency.]
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, or the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, examines alleged corruption win the government.
Poe’s committee held a number of hearings on the MRT problems. The DOTr repeatedly blamed maintenance provider, Filipino-Korean company Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI) for the glitches.
READ: MRT-3 official: No more long lines by December
Poe also suggested stopping MRT operations temporarily so the trains and tracks could be fully checked and public safety ensured.
“Alam ko malaking aberya dahil limandaang libo ang gumagamit nyan araw-araw…kung kailangan talagang tigilin muna sandali kahit na sabihin na natin sa linggo habang pahinga yung iba eh pwede nilang mabusisi,” Poe said.
[Translation: I know it would cause major inconvenience because the MRT has 500,000 daily commuters…If we really need to stop operations even for, let’s say, on Sunday while people are resting, they could really probe the system.]
As of Friday, 1:30 p.m., the MRT-3 has had 465 glitches this year.
On Tuesday, train coaches between the Buendia and Ayala stations were decoupled, prompting passengers to walk along the rails.
READ: Transport official: Missing MRT train ‘black box’ a possible sabotage
Other MRT-3 technical glitches were failed air-conditioning, unloading of passengers, trains stopping in between stations, and shortened service.
On October 23, Transportation Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Rainier Yebra filed a graft complaint at the Ombudsman against former Transportation Secretary Jun Abaya and other former DOTC officials for the allegedl anomalous maintenance contract with BURI.
The DOTr took over the maintenance of the 16.9-km train system on November 7, after terminating its contract with BURI.
READ: DOTr: Gov’t to take over MRT maintenance
