Ex-MRT head to corroborate claims on past admin’s contract kickbacks

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MANILA — Former Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) General Manager Al Vitangcol III is expected to corroborate the testimonies of whistleblowers, who have said that officials during the Aquino administration received kickbacks from the MRT-3 contract, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement when sought for an update on the still unnamed whistleblowers’ documentary evidence to back their claims.

“I am able to confirm that I had a meeting with the Usec (Undersecretary) for Legal for DOTr and we will listen to what Al Vitangcol has to say to corroborate the statements of whistleblowers that have already communicated with me,” Roque said during a Palace briefing.

Roque was referring to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and Procurement Reinier Paul Yebra.

He, however, denied that Vitangcol was one of the whistleblowers who had approached him.

“He is not obviously my whistleblower. I guess, what he says is their testimonies are weak compared to his,” Roque said, adding that he has yet to find out what Vitangcol has to expose.

Vitangcol previously pinned down his former boss and former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph “Jun” Abaya after the latter was spared from a graft case on the MRT-3 maintenance contract.

Roque earlier said he would soon be disclosing facts and details about what he called “the plunder of MRT-3”.

He has submitted the documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). He is awaiting the agencies’ go signal before he discloses these to media.

Last March 6, Malacañang said new cases might be filed against former officials of the now-defunct DOTC over the problems hounding the MRT-3.

Roque said these “new cases” would be separate from the plunder charges filed by the DOTr against the ex-DOTC officials in November 2017.

“There was a decision that cases will be pursued for those behind the miserable performance of MRT-3,” Roque said. “There are pending complaints about plunder against officials of the previous administration, specifically for awarding the maintenance contract to a company with absolutely no track record.”

Roque was referring to ex-DOTC officials, including Abaya and his predecessor, former DOTC and Interior and Local Government chief Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, both members of the Liberal Party and known allies of former president Noynoy Aquino.