OFFICIALS of the Aquino administration received a third of the more than P3.8-billion fund for the rehabilitation of Metro Rail Transit 3, an official said Wednesday quoting whistle blowers.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the whistleblowers would provide the evidence to be used against the former officials who will face plunder charges before the Justice Department.
He said a “Pangasinan group” received a third of the payment given to MRT 3’s provider, while several politicians also pocketed a third of the P3.8-billion fund.
He said the group hired the services of Busan Universal Rail Inc. or BURI, which lacked experience in maintaining a rail system.
He said the MRT 3 system continued to operate with very inefficient and ineffective maintenance.
A plunder case has been filed against former Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II, Budget secretary Florencio Abad, Transport secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and 14 others over the alleged irregularities in the P3.809-billion contract.
“One-third [of the money was] allotted to the political machinery of a political party while only one-third went for the maintenance of MRT 3. With such amount, the MRT 3 system would be affected,” Roque said.
“It’s only now that the whistleblower showed up. Now we have proof how they divided the money.”
Roque refused to give more information on the whistleblowers, but said they will be brought to the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation.
He put the entire blame for the poor running condition of MRT 3 to former President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet members.
“What they did to MRT 3 was scandalous,” Roque said.