DOTr Asec. alleges ‘anomalies’ in Mindanao Railway project bidding

An official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) claimed on Friday there are officials inside the department who are trying to manipulate the bidding process for the Mindanao Railway project.

Bidding for the proposed railway is set to begin in June this year. The first phase was priced at approximately P36 billion to be sourced from the General Appropriations Act.

DOTr Assistant Secretary for Railways Mark Tolentino disclosed in a press conference his suspicions that certain “dilawan” officials who outrank him want the supposedly GAA-slated project to be up for grabs by certain companies.

DOTr Asec Mark Tolentino claims that certain officials within the agency are trying to manipulate the bidding process of the proposed Mindanao Railway project @gmanews pic.twitter.com/IzyfgSwQXK

— M. Claire Layug (@MClaireLayug) May 18, 2018

“Na-feel ko lang na may paghaharang,” Tolentino said.

“Kasi gusto nilang utangin ‘yung buong Mindanao Railway, i-loan, na may budget naman na P36 billion,” he said.

Tolentino did not disclose any names and said he was still “looking into” the plot involving the project.

Tolentino is keen on reporting the corrupt “kontrabidos” to President Rodrigo Duterte, emphasizing that the massive Mindanao railway is among the flagship infrastructure projects promised by the President.

“Kung sino po ‘yung may personal interest diyan, pasensiya na po, isusumbong ko po kayo sa ating mahal na Pangulo,” he said.

Tolentino noted he obtained the blessing of a member of the President’s family to push through with the bidding.

“I asked the support of one of the first family. Tinanong ko, ‘Maam, Sir, ituloy ko ba ito? Sabihin niyo hindi, hindi ko itutuloy’. Sabi niya, ‘Go’. Hindi ko lang sabihin kung sino,” he said.

In a separate message to reporters, DOTr Communications Director Goddess Libiran said Tolentino’s press conference was “unauthorized."

Citing a department order mandating all press conferences and media briefings to be coordinated with the communication division, Libiran said a clearance from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade was not secured.

She said the briefing was supposedly going to be postponed until after the funding and implementation strategy has been “firmed up” in an upcoming meeting between Tugade, Finance Secretary Dominguez, and the Chinese embassy.

“Usec. TJ (Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan) just requested Asec. Tolentino to give deference to our principals, and not to preempt them with a presscon that will likely raise issues that we know will be the subject of the upcoming principals’ discussion,” Libiran said.

Tolentino, who was designated as supervising assistant secretary for the Mindanao Railway project and China-funded projects, insisted he was in a position to talk about matters concerning the railway project.

He said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade gave him the permission to call for a press briefing, and insisted was in a position to talk about the project. —KG/VDS, GMA News