FORMER Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II on Tuesday scored what he called “pathetic” plunder charges filed against him and other Aquino Cabinet officials over the allegedly onerous Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 maintenance contract.
Roxas said the fact that he was included in the case because he was merely a part of the procurement board was “laughable on its face.”
“In a word? Pathetic,” Roxas said.
“Because they have no accomplishments to show for all their promises, they’ve invented a case with no substance, and that has no basis in truth or law,” he added in Filipino.
The Department of Trade alleged that Roxas and former Transporation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, in conspiracy with other Cabinet members and former officials amassed wealth from a questionable maintenance contract for the MRT 3.
Roxas and Abaya were accused of using the maintenance programs for the MRT-3 as a “fundraiser.”
While the government had awarded the MRT maintenance contract to Busan Joint Venture in December 2015, it was an entirely different entity, Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI) that was tasked to implement the maintenance contract.
Transport officials claimed there was a “grand conspiracy” among BURI and the former transport officials to amass ill-gotten wealth.
Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan said the charges against former Aquino Cabinet members was a cover-up for the Duterte administration’s own problems.
He cited the case of Supt. Marvin Marcos, who was charged in connection with the 2016 killing of former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. Marcos, he said, was not only reinstated but he was even promoted.
He also mentioned about the extortion case of Immigration Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles involving almost P50 million; and the P64 billion shabu smuggling case involving former Customs officials Gerardo Gambala and Milo Maestrecampo, who were only transferred to another government agency even if they had not yet been cleared.
“Critics are silenced, allies go scot-free,” Pangilinan said.
“Despite all these, we trust that the Ombudsman will be fair and render impartial justice. We are confident that the former secretaries accused of wrongdoing will be able to defend and exonerate themselves,” he said.
Pangilinan also twitted the Duterte administration for its failure to clean up the MRT mess.
“When change is promised, the line and the wait at the MRT should be shorter, not longer. And the primary consideration should be that commuters are safe, not having their arms cut off or the coaches decoupled,” he said.
Also on Wednesday, BURI said it would seek an audience with President Rodrigo Duterte to explain why the train system has been hounded by systems glitches.
Maricris Pahate, external legal counsel of BURI, said they want a chance to personally discuss with the President how they have performed and how they were “unceremoniously kicked out of the contract.”
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Wednesday assured the public that action would be taken on the cases filed with her office over the alleged anomalous maintenance contract of the MRT-3 before her terms ends in July 2018.
Morales is set to end her seven-year term as Ombudsman in 2018, but the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has threatened to impeach her for her alleged “selective justice,” neglect of duty, use of falsified documents, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and graft and corruption.
She referred to the impending impeachment complaint in addressing the MRT3 cases.
“I’m supposed to retire next year, unless I get impeached or convicted,” Morales said, adding she has yet to see the complaint upon returning from a trip to Davao City.
Morales, however, declined to comment further on the impeachment threat.
“Everybody is at liberty to file any complaint against anybody, including me,” she said.
Morales had earlier denied giving selective justice on cases filed before the anti-graft body.
On Tuesday, the Department of Transportation filed plunder and graft charges against several appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III, including Abaya and Roxas.
Militant groups also filed the same charges against Abaya and executives of BURI.