Palace says graft raps against Abaya 'long overdue'

MANILA, Philippines — The filing of cases against former Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya and other erstwhile transport officials is “long overdue” and should remind people in government to do their jobs with integrity, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said the “suffering” commuters of the MRT-3 who experience daily train breakdowns “surely welcome the development.”

“The filing of graft charges against former Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and other officials from the then Department of Transportation and Communications over an allegedly anomalous deal with Metro Railway Transit 3 maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail Inc. is long overdue,” Abella said in a press briefing.

“Public office, as we often hear, is public trust. Let this be a good reminder to all public officials to perform their official functions with competence, integrity and compassion for they are accountable in all their action,” he added.

Abella said the cases would also provide the Office of the Ombudsman an opportunity “to show its true independence in fighting corruption in the corridors of the power.”

President Rodrigo Duterte has accused Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales of “selective justice,” claiming she sat on the complaints filed against officials of the previous administration. This was after the Ombudsman announced that it was launching a fact-finding probe into the alleged billions that Duterte’s family supposedly owned.

Former transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and 10 others are facing graft charges in connection with an allegedly anomalous P3.8-billion contract for the maintenance of the MRT-3.

READ: Abaya, 10 others sued by DOTr over MRT deal

In a 29-page complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday, the DOTr charged Abaya along with 10 former transportation officials and 10 incorporators of Busan Universal Rail Inc. for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The DOTr alleged that Abaya and the other officials conspired in awarding the maintenance deal to BURI on Dec. 23, 2015 despite the company’s failure to present a joint venture agreement executed between parties in violation of the provisions of Republic Act 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The complaint said BURI’s failure to carry out the project was apparent with the frequent MRT-3 service interruptions due to technical glitches supposedly caused by poor maintenance.

WATCH: MRT-3 cuts train speed by half due to safety checks

Last week, the government notified BURI that it would terminate the firm’s contract due to service interruptions in the railway system.

Abaya said he is looking forward to clearing his name before any appropriate body.

“Our decision has always been guided by our conscience and our compliance with procurement laws and laws with regard to the procurement of the maintenance provider,” he said.

READ: Duterte threatens to arrest Ombudsman officials dodging probe