Senate backs filing of cases vs ex-DOTC officials over purchase of unusable China trains

MANILA, Philippines — The leadership of the Senate is backing a proposal to file cases against former officials of the Department of Transportation who were responsible for the procurement of trains from China that could not been used by the Metro Rail Transit.

According to Sen. Grace Poe, a total of P526 million was wasted after the 48 China-made coaches bought for the MRT could not be used because they were overweight and incompatible with the line's existing facilities.

Poe said that the Transportation officials of the previous administration made a mockery of the suffering of the thousands who regularly used the 16.9-kilometer train line along EDSA, one of Metro Manila's busiest roads.

Earlier on Tuesday, operations of the MRT were again disrupted when some of its trains encountered technical problems during the morning rush hour.

"Parang tapon na nga ang pera na yan. Kaya nga dapat managot yung mga dating pumasok diyan. Why are we prolonging the agony?" Poe said during the deliberations on the P70.4-billion appropriation for the DOTr for 2018.

According to Poe, all the 48 trains purchased for the MRT weigh 49,000 kilograms each, way above the specified 46,300 kilograms in the terms of their purchase. The allowable tolerance limit should only be two percent or 926 kilograms.

Poe said that even without passengers the trains were already overweight and the rails might not be able to take it.

Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel and Sen. Joseph Victor Estrada agreed with the recommendation to file charges against the government officials responsible for the purchase of the unusable coaches.

Pimentel said that it was "obvious" that these past officials were accountable for the deal after he was told that the DOTr was already finalizing the charge sheet.

Poe said that the weight of the trains and their incompatibility with the MRT's systems were already grounds for the contract to be rescinded and for the coaches to be returned to China.

She said that the government should not force itself to make the trains work.

"Malaki nang pagkakamali ito. Para bang ang ginagawa natin, meron tayong sapatos na hindi kasya, puputulin natin yung paa natin para magkasya doon. Huwag na lang nating isugal kasi kung hindi talaga maipipilit, it's better to move on," she said.

The DOTr said that it was already studying the possible return of the trains which were supposed to be operational by middle of this year and lengthen each train to four coaches.

Poe also broached the possibility of acquiring another set of coaches from a different manufacturer although she conceded that this process would take years to complete.

"It will be a costly and long litigation but we should have a contingency working in another way to procure while there's ongoing litigation," she said.

Poe also blasted the current maintenance provider of the train line, Busan Universal Rail Inc., as the MRT continued to record more and more interruptions despite the government's monthly payments of P54.5 million.

The senator said that the interruptions were increasing and getting worse.

Poe earlier slammed BURI for procuring the trains' automatic protection system from an auto shop in Bangkal, Makati identified as Diamon Pearl Development and Marketing Corp., which was owned by William and Marlo Dela Cruz who were associated with BURI.

The senator is now asking the Senate to help locate Marlo Dela Cruz who snubbed its previous hearings on the issue.

"It is part of the contract that they [BURI] should be getting original parts for MRT. Sila mismo ay hindi sumusunod sa kontrata na pinirmahan nila," Poe said.

The Transportation department is already finalizing its option to terminate the maintenance contract with BURI for non-performance of its obligations, default and inconvenience. It added that it may go for a negotiated procurement of its maintenance needs.