Lawmakers seek resignation of other transportation execs

Congressmen called yesterday for the resignation of other department undersecretaries of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade due to alleged conflict of interest.

Reps. Winston Castelo of Quezon City and Tom Villarin of Akbayan made the call following the decision of Undersecretary for Railways Noel Kintanar to quit effective Tuesday.

Castelo and Villarin said Tugade’s other undersecretaries should also consider resigning “to spare the administration of President Duterte from accusations of corruption and irregularities.”

They named Undersecretary for Air Operations Robert Lim and Undersecretary for Maritime Affairs Felipe Judan, whom Tugade recruited from the private sector.

They noted that Lim was former country manager of the International Air Transport Association while Judan was formerly an executive of Southwest Maritime Group.

They said another undersecretary, Raoul Creencia, in charge of legal affairs, was formerly with the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel.

Kintanar worked for Ayala Corp. before joining DOTr. He was instrumental in his previous employer’s acquisition of railways-related contracts from the Aquino administration.

Former broadcaster and Arroyo administration National Youth Commission chairman Cesar Chavez has taken over Kintanar’s railways job.

In one hearing of the House transportation committee, Chavez was introduced as assistant secretary for railways.

Given his background, some congressmen wondered whether the former youth commission head had any railways-related experience or expertise.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has accused Tugade’s underlings of having conflict-of-interest issues and once confronted the DOTr secretary and his officials: “Let’s be blunt about this: whose interest are you really working for?”

Alvarez even asked Lim how many airports he had visited.

When Lim responded that he had so far been to the Davao City airport, the Speaker said, “You will not know the condition of airports in the country if you will not inspect them.”