Kamanggagawa Party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando took exception to the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) insinuation that he was injecting politics into the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) safety issue.

"Sa haba ng statement niyo, ni walang isang linya para ipagtanggol o tugunan man lang ang concerns ng mga manggagawa. Si DOTr Sec [Giovanni] Lopez magaling lang pala mamahiya ng manggagawa pero inutil sa pagdidisiplina sa mga opisyal ng ahensyang pinamumunuan niya," San Fernando said in a statement over the weekend.

(In your long statement, not a single line was devoted to defending or addressing the concerns of the workers. DOTr Sec. Lopez turns out to be good only at shaming workers but useless in disciplining the officials of the agency he leads.)

"Para sabihing pamumulitika lang ang isyung ito ay pangmamaliit sa mga manggagawa ng MRT na may ilang dekadang karanasan. Sila ang mas nakakaalam ng mismong kalagayan at operasyon ng MRT kumpara kay GM [Michael] Capati," said the fiery congressman.

(To say that this issue is mere politicking belittles the MRT workers who have decades of experience. They know far better the actual condition and operations of the MRT compared to GM Capati.)

San Fernando was reacting to an earlier statement from DOTr, wherein it refuted the false allegations mentioned by then solon in his vlog as well as by some members of the MRT-3 Employees Association.

In its statement, the transportation agency assured commuters that MRT's four-car trains are were, contrary to the claims made by the employees and San Fernando.

San Fernando also called out the DOTr for not responding to his letter, wherein he relayed the safety concerns.

"Hindi totoong sumagot ang DOTr sa sulat ng opisina ng Kamanggagawa. MRT Management, na todo pagtatanggol sa sarili, ang nagpadala ng sagot. Inimbestigahan daw nila ang kanilang sarili at wala silang nahanap na pagkakamali. Pinagmumukha nilang tanga ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino. Hinahamon ko ang DOTr na ilabas ang sinasabi nilang sagot ng AHENSYA MISMO," he said, the emphasis his.

(It is not true that the DOTr responded to the letter from the Kamanggagawa office. It was MRT Management, busy defending themselves, who sent the reply. They supposedly investigated themselves and found no fault. They are making ordinary Filipinos look foolish. I challenge the DOTr to release this supposed response of the AGENCY ITSELF.)

San Fernando also had something to say about Capati, who like Lopez caught his ire.

"Sa halip na tugunan ang mga problemang dinadaing ng mga empleyado, ano ang ginawa ni GM Capati? Tinatakot at pinupwersa ang mga manggagawang nananawagang alisin siya – mag retract sa signature campaign o hindi ire-renew ang kanilang kontrata," he claimed.

(Instead of addressing the problems raised by employees, what did GM Capati do? He threatened and pressured the workers calling for his removal—retract from the signature campaign or their contracts would not be renewed.)

As a parting shot, San Fernando said: "Sapat na rin siguro ang mga ipis at surot sa mga tren ng MRT bilang patunay sa kasinungalingan at incompetence ni Capati (The cockroaches and bedbugs in the MRT trains are proof enough of Capati’s lies and incompetence)."