Nahaharap sa panibagong kaso si dating Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya at 16 na iba pa kaugnay ng umano’y maanomalyang P4.2-bilyong MRT-3 maintenance contract.

Kahapon, pinakakasuhan na ni Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ang mga ito dahil sa paglabag sa Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) matapos makitaan ng probable cause ang reklamo laban sa mga ito.

Kabilang sa pinakakasuhan sa Sandiganbayan sina DOTr Undersecretaries Edwin Lopez, Rene Limcaoco, pinuno ng Negotiating team; at Catherine Jennifer Francis Gonzales, vice head ng negotiating team.

Kasama rin sa kaso sina MRT-3 General Manager Roman Buenafe; Camille Alcaraz, assistant secretary for procurement; Ofelia Astrera, vice chairperson; MRT-3 Bids and Awards Committee Charissa Eloisa Julia Opulencia; Atty. Oscar Bongon, hepe ng Engineering Division; at Jose Rodante Sabayle, Engineer III.

Hindi rin nakaligtas sa demanda ang mnga private respondent na sina Eldonn Ferdinand Uy, ng Edison Development and Construction; Elizabeth Velasco, ng Tramat Mercantile Inc.; Belinda Tan, ng TMI Corporation, Inc.; Brian Velasco, ng Castan Corporation; at Antonio Borromeo, Jun Ho Hwang at Elpidio Uy, pawang mula sa Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI).

Natuklasan ng Special Panel of Investigators ng Ombudsman na nagsagawa ng dalawang bidding ang mga ito noong Oktubre 2014 at Enero 2015 para sa tatlong taong maintenance service contract ng MRT3.

“The biddings were considered as a failure due to non-submission of bids, so Abaya took action on January 28, 2015 and issued a Special Order creating the MRT3 Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for the procurement of goods, infrastructure projects and consulting services of the MRT3 system,” ayon sa Ombudsman.

-Czarina Nicole O. Ong