Chinese firm should be held liable for unusable MRT coaches, Abaya says

Former Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio "Jun" Abaya on Tuesday said Chinese firm CRRC-Dalian Co., Ltd. should be held liable for supposedly failing to meet its obligations stated in the contract related to the purchase of 48 new light rail vehicles (LRVs) for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

"Malinaw na malinaw po doon na 'yung obligasyon ng CRRC (Dalian) ay i-deliver ng kumpleto, maayos at tumatakbo ang mga tren na ito by January or February itong taon na ito, 2017. At in-emphasize ko ito kahapon na kung may delay man sila o pagkukulang ayon sa kontrata ay dapat patawan sila ng penalties o tinatawag na liquidated damages," Abaya said in an interview on the "Hirit ni Mareng Winnie" segment on Unang Balita.

"So ang obligasyon na maayos at ma-deliver ay dapat sa January o February 2017. Obviously, late po sila so dapat tingnan mabuti at patawan ng penalty if required," Abaya added.

"The responsibility is clearly with the Chinese company, CRRC (Dalian)," he went on.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Cesar Chavez earlier said that about 48 new LRVs would remain unserviceable for at least three years due to lack of signaling system.

However, Abaya insisted that he signed the contract with countersignatures on it, noting that the coaches are compatible and two of them can be used by next month.

"There were countersignatures, kumpleto 'yung pirma kaya ko po pinirmahan...If you could recall in the hearing, galing po sa MRT-3 mismo na compatible 'yung signaling, compatible 'yung trains," he said.

"Magagamit by next month, dalawang bagon po ang magagamit ng publiko. In terms of compatibility, fully compatible po itong mga bagong tren," he added.

It was under Abaya’s leadership at the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) that the department bought 48 light rail vehicles (LRVs) from China’s Dalian.

Abaya then said he was grateful that he was able to air his side regarding the issue.

"Masaya po kami at nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na maipaliwanag din 'yung aming side dahil mula noong umalis ako sa DOTC, it was my personal commitment to avoid making a public statement in order to not cause any confusion and also allow the current administration to learn the ropes...dahil hindi rin po madali ang trabaho sa DOTC," he said.

Abaya on Monday admitted that he signed the P54-million-a-month MRT maintenance contract without knowing the firm that would take on the deal.

He made the disclosure during a Senate public services committee hearing on the supposed inefficient management and maintenance of the MRT. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG, GMA News