THE Senate Committee on Public Services is poised to open an inquiry into the reported anomalous purchase by former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) officials of P3.8-billion Dalian trains found to be unusable for existing Metro Rail Transit (MRT) railways.
Sen. Grace Poe, who chairs the committee, expressed readiness to start the investigation as soon as Congress reconvenes regular sessions next week (May 2) after an extended Holy Week recess.
Poe confirmed that among those expected to be summoned to appear at the coming Senate hearing are mostly former DOTC officials involved in the questionable acquisition of the 48 Dalian trains said to be incompatible with Metro Manila’s two railways spanning Epifanio de los Santos and Taft avenues.
In a radio interview, Poe gave current Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials the benefit of the doubt, noting the Dalian train purchase was consummated during the watch of former President Benigno S. Aquino III.
“That’s right. Actually, we know that the incumbent DOTr officials, when they assumed office…wala rin silang alam sa mga nangyari noon sa mga kontratang pinasok ng nakaraang opisyal.” Recalled the committee had been repeatedly informed that the 48 Dalian trains earlier purchased would soon be “operational”.
“So, kami naman, tayong lahat ay naghihintay at mismo noong sa pinakahuling hearing namin, sinabi ng DOTr na unti-unti ay mababawasan na iyong pagpila, sapagkat ipapasok na iyong mga [Dalian] train na iyan,” she said, only to learn about the mismatch.
“Nagulat nga ako noong narinig ko…na hindi na pala gagamitin itong mga in-order na ito, sapagkat hindi nga nagkakatugma sa signaling system.”
This means, she lamented, a huge amount of public money was wasted. “So, P3.8 billion po ang nasayang diyan.”
She acknowledged the point made by incumbent DOTr officials in advising against potential risks to MRT commuters if the Dalian trains were put in operation.
“Sa isang banda, ang nakikita kong punto ni Secretary [Arthur P.] Tugade na huwag nating gamitin, huwag nating ipilit kung nakasalalay naman kasi dyan ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan. Pero ang dapat natin balikan talaga, at doon sa mga ibang nagsasabi na move on na tayo, pero hindi matututo ang mga iyan, eh—iyang mga mismong pumasok sa kontrata na iyan.”
At the same time, Poe indicated the committee is likely to recommend pressing charges against liable officials involved in the anomalous government purchase “to teach them a lesson not to do it again”.
“Nasabi pa naman na marami sa kanila, mga abogado diyan, akala mo siguro dahil puro abogado magandang mga kontrata nila. Hindi, eh. Tayo po ang nagiging dehado sa pinasok nilang kontrata kaya sa ating mga kababayan, ito lang naman talaga ang mandato ng Senado para marinig ninyo kung ano talaga ang nangyari, magrekomenda na kasuhan muli,” said Poe.