DOTr's Chavez quits amid MRT3 woes

Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez has tendered his "irrevocable" resignation amid problems hounding the Metro Rail Transit system.

In his resignation letter to President Rodrigo Duterte dated November 23, Chavez said that he is quitting his post to give an "opportunity for the appointment of person better qualified to perform the duties and responsibilities of the subject office."

Chavez said that it is was out of "simple sense of delicadeza" that he had resigned, noting that he was responsible for the recent mishap in the MRT3.

Resignation letter ni Usec. Cesar Chavez @dzbb pic.twitter.com/TE6y014CPm

— Allan Gatus (@allangatus) November 23, 2017

"Mr. President, you are correct, there should be no excuses. Sa totoo niyan, makailang ulit na akong humingi ng paumanhin sa publiko sa aming interviews. Sa tingin ko may magagawa pa. Mas marami pang magagawa. Nais kong bigyan ng pagkakataon ang ating Pangulo, ang ating Secretary na magkaroon ng pagkakataon na tingnan ulit ang management ng MRT3," Chavez said in a press conference.

"I am tendering my irrevocable resignation and I want the President to give the chance to the President to appoint a new one. Salamat po sa tiwala sa isang taon at isang buwan," he added.

Chavez, who earlier vowed that the government will solve the issues of the MRT Line 3 "within three to six months" said that his resignation is effective immediately.

President Duterte had apologized for the inconvenience caused by the recent decoupling incident in the MRT3 system, which prompted the evacuation of some 140 passengers.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has been in charge of the maintenance of the MRT3 after it terminated last November 6 its contract with Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI), which covers the general overhauling of 43 Light Rail Vehicles (LRV), the total replacement of the signaling system, and other additional maintenance works. —LBG, GMA News