BURI denies asking reimbursement for spare parts

MANILA, Philippines — Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI), which handles maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), has denied claims that the firm asked the transportation department for reimbursement for parts allegedly bought from an auto repair shop in Bangkal, Makati City.

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade yesterday, BURI’s authorized representative Eldonn Ferdinand Uy said the company never billed the Department of Transportation for payment or reimbursement for the purchase of vehicle logic units (VLUs) that are part of the train’s automatic protection system.

“BURI does not bill the DOTr on the basis of the purchase of spare parts,” he said.

BURI only bills the government for services rendered in the monthly total lump sum amount of P54.5 million.

Uy said BURI did not ask the DOTr for payment for the VLUs as such were never installed and were only intended as spares.

While BURI’s procurement plan for the fourth quarter of last year included the two VLUs, he said such were only kept at the MRT-3 warehouse, as the firm waits for the supplier to provide the Certificate of Origin and Factory Inspection Report or documents required for submission by DOTr Undersecretary for rails Cesar Chavez for the processing of billings.