Solon urges DOTC to blacklist MRT maintenance contractor

MRT3 Shaw Boulevard Station (Photo courtesy of UrbanRail)

MANILA — Rep. Terry Ridon of party-list group Kabataan urged the Department of Transportation and Communications yesterday to blacklist a contractor for the maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) line 3 along EDSA.

Ridon said that DOTC should not allow the joint venture PH Trams-Comm Builders and Technology Corp. to participate in any future bidding either individually or as one entity.

Aside from the contractor, he also added that the present MRT-3 maintenance provide, Autre Porte technique Global, Inc. (APT Global) should also be blacklisted.

APT Global is represented by Marlo de la Cruz, who is also the representative and was an incorporator of PH Trams.

“The Office of the Ombudsman’s decision to conduct a preliminary investigation on the awarding of the maintenance contracts for MRT-3 proves that there is probable cause in this case. We now call on the DOTC to summarily blacklist the companies involved in the maintenance of the MRT-3, including APT Global, the current maintenance contractor,” he said.

“The DOTC, as the operator of the MRT-3, and the Metro Rail Transit Corp., as the supposed private owner of the EDSA rail line, and APT Global and former maintenance contractors should be held liable for the poor maintenance of the MRT-3. All ways to exact accountability and justice should be done, including the blacklisting of the companies involved,” he added.

The DOTC was also ordered by the ombudsman to look into the allegedly anomalous contract for MRT-3 worth P517 million with PH Trams-CB&T in October 2012.

MRT-3 general manager Al Vitangcol III; and Undersecretaries Jose Perpetuo Lotilla, Rene Limcaoco and Rafael Antonio Santos, Assistant Secretaries Ildefonso Patdu and Dante Lantin, and Light Rail Transit Authority administrator Honorito Chaneco, who were members of the bids and awards committee, were ordered to be investigated.

Also included in the order were negotiating team members Misael Narca, Joel Magbanua, Arnel Manresa, Natividad Sansolis, Gina Rodriguez, Eugene Cecilio, Raphael Lavides and Geronimo Quintos, and representatives of CB&T-PH Trams Wilson de Vera, Arturo Soriano, Marlo de la Cruz, Manolo Maralit and Federico Remo.