PNR president, union leader swap corruption charges

Workers of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) caught in the middle of a feud between PNR officials and the workers’ union leaders pleaded for intervention from higher agency officials concerned to patch up their differences.

Bagong Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa (BKM) president Edgar Bilayon had earlier accused PNR general manager Jose Ma. Sarasola of allegedly pocketing some P6 million in connection with the purchase of P16-million worth of spare parts.

Sarasola, in turn, has slapped charges against Bilayon for allegedly falsifying documents and passing himself off as a legitimate college graduate.

The members of the railway workers’ union stressed that they wanted to stay neutral in the on-going exchange of heated words between the two officials and are seeking the help of officials concerned to settle the problem as it is adversely affecting the operations of the already ailing government firm.

Earlier, Bilayon and other union officers had asked the Office of the Ombudsman for the preventive suspension of Sarasola for a period of at least six months pending investigation of the case they filed against him.

Bilayon said Sarasola, as general manager, had allegedly violated Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices), R.A. No. 6713 (Public Official’s Code of Conduct) and Executive order No. 302 (Bidding Procedures).

The violations allegedly stemmed from the purchase of spare parts like wheel and shaft assemblies and oil dampers which they claimed were overpriced by more than P6 million in "flagrant and gross violations" of existing laws.

Romeo Ignacio, Jr. legal counsel for the union workers, said that Sarasola should be suspended pending the result of the investigation because "the evidence of guilt is strong, the charge involves gross misconduct, conviction would warrant removal from office and the respondent’s continued stay in office may prejudice the case filed against him."

Ignacio said Sarasola allegedly benefited from the contracts he entered into with a still unnamed private firm when he allowed "simplified bidding" instead of the usual and open procedure in accordance with law.

In a separate interview, Sarasola denied he violated the provisions cited by the BKM leaders as he questioned the motive behind the filing of the case against him.