MANILA: Investigators from the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) saw “human error” arising from failure to follow procedure and over speeding as causing a Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3) train to overshoot the Taft Avenue station last August 13.
Speaking to reporters, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the government is set to file administrative charges against the two train drivers, as well as two personnel from the control centre, for gross neglect, inefficiency in the performance of official functions, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and violation of reasonable rules and regulations.
“Yes, that was the conclusion,” he said.
Transportation Undersecretary for Operations Edwin Lopez headed the investigation team.
Abaya cited poor coordination or reporting procedures between the train drivers and the control centre supervisors.
Office Order No 059 issued in October 2000 requires that a stalled train must be brought to the nearest station platform for passengers to be unloaded, he added.
Abaya said based on that order, the stalled train should have been towed to the Magallanes station instead of the Taft Avenue station.
The actual location of the distressed train was unknown to the control centre supervisor, and coordination with the Magallanes station supervisor was not established, he added.
Investigations showed that only the driver of the assisting train performed the standard coupling and commenced hauling procedures even with no clear approval from the control centre supervisor, Abaya said.
Under the procedure, both drivers of the assisting and distressed trains were supposed to perform the standard coupling procedure.
Abaya said the driver of the assisting train thought that both trains coupled when it rammed the distressed train.
However, the driver of the assisting train, upon seeing the warning lights in the train’s panel, disembarked and cranked the coupling mechanism, causing both trains to disengage and decouple, he added.
Abaya said the driver of the assisting train did not observe the 15-kilometre per hour speed limit and was running at about 40kph.
“Based on the black box reading of assisting train, the driver went over the design speed,” he said.
The Philippine star
