MANILA–House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday warned that an impeachment process can be initiated by Congress against officials who will block the implementation of important government infrastructure projects, such as the MRT-LRT common station, through the issuance of a temporary restraining order.
During a hearing of the House transportation committee, Alvarez called on the Department of Transportation to push through with the construction of the common station linking the rail systems in spite of the possibility of a TRO.
The Supreme Court is the only court that can issue any TRO, preliminary injunction or preliminary mandatory injunction against government infrastructure projects.
“Eh, gobyerno naman ang gagastos diyan, project ng gobyerno, anong ikinatatakot nila? Di ho ba? Ngayon pag merong mag-file ng TRO, aba at pag may nag-issue ng TRO ay hindi tama yun, di ba? Sobra, abuso na rin sa poder yan. So Congress will not hesitate na gawin din yung trabaho namin,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said the common terminal should be constructed as originally envisioned during the 14th Congress. The original planned location of the common station was in front of the SM North Edsa, in the middle of the EDSA-North Avenue-West Avenue intersection.
However, based on the recent Memorandum of Agreement signed last January among the DOTr, other concerned government agencies and with private companies, the common terminal will be established between SM North Edsa and Trinoma in Quezon City.
“Isa lang ang layunin natin dito, pagsilbihan yung mamamayang Pilipino. Kung ano yung convenient sa kanila—sila ang gagamit eh –yun ang gawin natin”, Alvarez said.