WHISTLE-BLOWERS have come forward with new information on the alleged Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 anomalies as the office of the Solicitor-General (Sol-Gen)readies the documentary evidence for the filing of new cases against former transport officials, Malacañang said on Wednesday, March 7.

“[I]n fairness, ngayon lang   isa-isang lumalabas ang mga whistle-blowers at dahil lumalabas na ang mga whistle-blowers at saka kinukumpleto ngayon ang mga documentary evidence, sang-ayon na rin sa mga testimonya ng whistle-blowers mukhang magkakaroon ng linaw kung paano talaga pinagpiyestahan ang MRT na naging dahilan ng paghihirap   ng ating mga mananakay ngayon (it is only now that whistle-blowers have come forward, and since they are coming forward while documentary evidence are being completed, it seems that this would shed light on how [the former officials] feasted on the MRT-3 affecting our commuters),” Mr. Roque said in an interview with DWFM.

Asked when the charges would likely be filed, Mr. Roque said the cases are being fast-tracked, including the testimonial evidence from the whistle-blowers

He narrated that an alleged “Pangasinan Group,” according to the informants, pocketed one-third of the total contract price for the MRT-3 maintenance project, another third for political machinery, and only the remaining one-third was actually spent for the transport system.

The spokesman announced last Tuesday that President Rodrigo R. Duterte, during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, has asked Solicitor-General Jose C. Calida to “look further into” the cases that could be filed against former officials under former President Benigno S. C. Aquino III, including Manuel A. Roxas II and Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, former heads of the then Department of Transportation and Communications.

In November last year, the now Department of Transportation (DoTr) filed a plunder complaint against Messrs. Roxas and Abaya, along with other Cabinet officials of the Aquino administration, over the allegedly “anomalous” P3.8-million MRT maintenance contract of the government with Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI).

In the same month, the DoTr terminated its contract with BURI as the MRT-3’s maintenance provider, citing its failure to perform its obligations and procure spare parts. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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