Railways’ executives accused of mismanagement

The lives of more than 75,000 Filipino commuters using the Caloocan City to Bicol trains daily are disrupted due to mismanagement of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) by its top officials, the union leader of the railway company alleged on Friday.Edgar John Bilayon, president of the Bagong Kapisanan ng mga Manggagawa sa PNR (BKMP) asked President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene and immediately fire PNR General Manager Junn Magno “for gross incompetence, bad governance, favouritism and bullying of PNR employees.”Bilayon identified both Magno and corporate legal counsel Celeste Lauta for allegedly causing the major disruption of railway services last September, after the two reportedly sat on a request for the purchase of diesel fuel, the primary source of power of rail engines.Due to the inability to supply fuel, 14 rail coaches failed to run, affecting operations and disrupting the lives of 75,000 daily commuters who use the PNR trains to commute from their homes to their workplaces. Aside from mismanagement, Bilayon said PNR employees are also being mistreated and denied their benefits.On July 21, 2017, Bilayon and the union’s vice president Jose Antonio Laurena filed an administrative complaint against Lauta for allegedly not disclosing a Supreme Court decision suspending her from the practice of law. On Nov 29, 2017, the PNR Special Investigating Committee (SIC) issued a resolution recommending Lauta’s immediate dismissal.Despite the resolution, Lauta reportedly continues to discharge her function as corporate secretary and even demanded honoraria, year-end and mid-year bonuses, which is over and above that being given to employees of the same stature in the agency.Magno, says Bilayon, also exceeded his powers by appointing Lauta to several other critical positions reserved for the PNR administrator. Aside from being the PNR corporate secretary, Lauta acts as OIC of the legal division, division manager of the corporate planning office and several other functions of a critical nature, the union alleged.Thousands of PNR employees are now demoralised due to the ineptitude of GM Magno and the various forms of their maltreatment by Magno and Lauta.Magno said the union does not have the technical competence to run the PNR. “His only claim to fame is his being a member of the campaign team of Duterte,” Bilayon said. “Magno is a late entrant to the Duterte group. Now, he is consorting with Atty. Lauta who he knows to be the legal counsel of the Liberal Party in her province.” Bilayon added.Reporters tried but failed to get a reaction from Magno and Lauta.