Press Release
April 5, 2016

Cayetano to PNoy admin: Why is Abaya so special?

"What's so special about Abaya?"

This was the question raised by vice presidential candidate and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano to the Aquino government regarding what he said was Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya's "unparalleled level of incompetence."

Cayetano made the statement after a 5-hour blackout hit the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Sunday, which caused numerous domestic and international flights to be delayed and cancelled.

"Why is Secretary Abaya so special that despite his series of monumental blunders, Malacañang is still protecting him?" Cayetano asked.

"From special screws, overcharging of non delivered stickers, late license plates and no available driver's licenses, frequent MRT breakdowns, abandoned license plates at Customs, stolen plate sheets, and now airport blackouts, I have never seen such display of incompetency in our recent political history. Why Secretary Abaya continues to serve in DOTC despite these is mind-boggling, it defies all existing logic," Cayetano added.

Cayetano said the government should fire Abaya as his incompetence is a continuing source of embarrassment in the international community.

"The DOTC's ineptitude is so meteoric that it borders to the criminal. Worse, it not only victimizes our people but our foreign guests as well. It's a continuing international embarrassment. Kung hindi sila nahihiya sa mga pinerwisyo nilang kababayan, mahiya naman sila sa buong mundo," Cayetano said.

The senator urged Abaya to show compassion to his department's rank-and-file employees by saving them from the public's ire and further embarrassment.

"Kawawa na ang mga ordinaryong kawani ng DOTC na tapat at masipag na nagtatrabaho dahil sa kapalpakan ng kanilang mga opisyales. Kung may natitira pang dignidad at delicadeza si Sec. Abaya, aalis siya sa pwesto na lubha niyang inabuso at pinahiya," Cayetano concluded.

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