Commuters ride the MRT-3 at the North Avenue Station in Quezon City on July 7, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — MRT-3 General Manager Oscar Bongon has been relieved from his post in the wake of an escalator malfunction that injured nearly a dozen passengers last week, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said Tuesday.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Dizon said the MRT-3 management had failed to immediately have the escalator repaired, which he asserted was unacceptable.

“Mabagal nagdesisyon ang management. Nasira siya ng Sabado, Martes pa siya pinagawa. Kung hindi pa ako tumawag nung Martes ng umaga, hindi pa ipapagawa. So medyo malaking problema sa’kin yun at medyo ikinagalit ko yun,” said Dizon.

According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Dizon has recommended a replacement for Bongon and was just waiting for the official appointment papers from Malacañang.

ABS-CBN News reached out to the MRT-3 management for comment but has yet to receive a response as of writing.

'Parang Final Destination': MRT-3 escalator malfunction injures at least 10

While the MRT-3 is operated by the government, Japanese firm Sumitomo Corporation serves as the maintenance service provider.

Asked if the private contractor could have also been remiss in its duties, Dizon insisted that it regularly conducts maintenance works.

“Natapos (maayos yung escalator) in less than 8 hours, 9 hours… Bihira na lang naman talagang masira pero kailangan pag nasira i-repair agad. Pero ano na yun, management call yun,” he said.

For Dizon, the incident is proof of the MRT-3 officials’ supposed shortcomings as train operators.

He said he believed both the operations and maintenance of the railway system should be handed over to the private sector.

But a commuter group bucked the DOTr’s privatization plans, dismissing it as ineffective and adding that it would only result in higher fares, just like in the case of the LRT-1, which is set to hike fares in April.

“Pondohan ng gobyerno nang mas malaki yung ating rails sa halip na kuhanin sa bulsa ng mga pasahero yung sinasabing improvement,” said Nanoy Rafael, the convenor of Para! Advocates for Inclusive Transport.

“Yung sinakyan niyang MRT ngayon, 25 years may Build-Lease-Transfer with MRTC. Sa 25 years na yun ano ba yung napansin niya? Sabi niya sira-sira… Anong ginawa ng privatization doon?” added Rafael.

But according to Dizon, the government will still act as a regulator.

“Hindi porket pribado ang nag-o-operate, ibig sabihin noon e kahit anong presyo nalang pwede, hindi. Hindi ganun yun. Kailangan i-regulate pa rin ng gobyerno,” he said.

As to the LRT-1 impending fare hike, the DOTr earlier said that although it granted the Light Rail Manila Corporation’s fare hike petition, it did not approve the full amount that the company asked for as a consideration to commuters.