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Malayo pa 2010 ah...........



ABS-CBNNews.com
15 Sept. 2008

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09...ions-08-budget


Lacson discloses more insertions in '08 budget


Senator Panfilo Lacson detailed more insertions in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2008 aside from the P200-million double appropriation for the C-5 extension road project of Senate President Manuel Villar in Parañaque City.

“Mr. President, if you are telling us to bring it on, just like a confident poker player with winning cards would say, and now I say to you, ‘All in',” Lacson said in his privilege speech Monday.

First, Lacson pointed out a P200 million budget allocation for the C-5 road extension project in Paranaque. He then pointed out another P200 million budget allocation for the Carlos P. Garcia avenue, which refers to the same stretch of road.

“Carlos P. Garcia Ave. and C-5 Road are one and the same, and so is everything else...You need not be an expert on the national budget to find malice in this situation - only a keen eye and a strong motivation to pull this country out of the deep pits of corruption. This is the truth,” Lacson said.

Lacson had been questioning Senate President Manny Villar's role in the project and his possible involvement in the double insertion.

Senate Finance Commmittee Chair Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile confirmed it was Senate President Manuel Villar who inserted the second P200 million allocation in the C-5 road extension project in the 2008 GAA, but he said it was "additional funding" for the project and not a separate allocation.

"From the record, this P200 million for C-5 [road extension project] was submitted as an amendment by the Senate president. Now my understanding was that this P200 million submitted by the Senate president was in addition to the P200 million included in the national expenditure program submitted by the President," Enrile said.

Villar's supporters have said Lacson's accusations are borne out of political rivalry for the 2010 presidential elections, but Lacson said in his speech that his expose is not in any way connected to the race for the presidency.

“Looking for evidence in this case is a no brainer. Just look for the billboard at the project site and I will get the answer...According to some tricycle drivers plying the route, the billboard belonged to the Senate President,” he said.

“I simply followed the narrow trail and it led me to you, Mr. Senate President. No political motive whatsoever. Walang kinalaman sa pagtakbo mo sa 2010 nor with your Senate presidency,” he said.

“What is clear and important here is the fact that there is indeed a double entry in this year's budget of P200 million each for the same stretch of road,” Lacson added.

Other irregularities

Lacson went on to point out more irregularities in the 2008 GAA.

He also questioned the budget appropriation for another road project, the rehabilitation of the Aguinaldo Bridge in Cavite. Lacson said records show that the bridge had double funding totaling P100 million.

Lacson also cited several other insertions made by the Senate in the 2008 GAA:

• Kibawe-Kadingilan-Kalinangan Road (P5 million) and Don Carlos-Kadingilan Road (P25 million), both in Bukidnon;
• Construction of access road, West Lateral Dike connecting to Hacienda Dolores to Porac Interchange of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Pampanga (P100 million);
• For the completion of the Cagayan de Oro International Trade and
Convention Multipurpose Center, (P100 million);
• Tagaytay-Silang Road, Balalang-Matanda section in Cavite (P13 million);
• Construction of Molino Boulevard, in Cavite, including right of way (P37 million);
• The Aguinaldo Bridge project;
• P200 million for Maharlika Road, which, Lacson said, "God knows which part."

Lacson said included in these Senate insertions were these lump sum appropriations:

• "Repair and rehabilitation, including improvement of safety standards of various roads along public schools" (P100 million);
• "Flood control and drainage systems" (P500 million);
• "Construction, repair and rehabilitation of government facilities, including educational facilities" (P760 million);
• "Rehabilitation, reconstruction of damaged paved national roads generated from payment management system, highway development and management nationwide" (P50 million);
• "Road upgrading, gravel to concrete, based on gravel road, strategies traffic benchmark for upgrading to paved road standard, nationwide" (P50 million).

Aside from these lump sum appropriations, Lacson pointed out an additional P1.76 billion under "various infrastructure projects".

"Saan kaya mapupunta ang ganito kalaking halaga? At sino ang magdedesisyon kung anonog proyekyto ang mabibiyayaan ng lump sum na ito?" the senator asked.

Lacson also said there were two versions of the 2008 budget where several government projects and lump sum appropriations also appear to have been given double funding.

“Hindi ko minamasama [ang mga insertions]… subalit kung ito ay gagawin upang mapabopran ang iilan at madagdagan ang pagkakakitaaang proyekyo. Ito ang dapat tutulan,” he said.

“There is nothing wrong with insertions… What is abominable is the malicious double entries of P200 million and possibly P50 million using different names for identical projects,” he added.

"Mr. President, do not act as if you are the victim in this whole exercise because you are not. Wag mong ipahatid sa mga mamamayang Pilipino na pulitika lamang ito because it is not. At huwag mong sabihin na gusto ka lang naming palitan at agawin ang puwesto mo because it is not the issue," Lacson said.

Lacson ended his privilege speech with two main questions on the double appropriation issue: the identity of the lawmaker who initiated the controversial insertion in the 2008 GAA, and that who among the senators have "business and financial interests" in the project.

VIllar responds

Villar immediately answered Lacson's allegations after the latter’s speech. Villar said never did he steal money from the people and agreed that lawmakers found to have done this should be punished.

"Tama yung sinabi ni Senator Lacson na ako ay spartan lamang sa Tondo noong araw... Pero sa buong pagtatrabaho kong iyan, hindi ako nagnanakaw sa gobyerno at wala akong balak magnakaw sa gobyerno. Kung ano man ang kalagayan ko ngayon ito po ay dahil sa paghihirap ko. Sa pawis, sa sipag," Villar said.

Enrile, meanwhile, called for an investigation into the allegations made by Lacson.

Speaking immediately after Lacson's privilege speech, Enrile said although budget insertions are legal and it is what lawmakers usually do when they scrutinize the budget, he wants the matter explained to the public through a Senate investigation.

"In view of the gravity of the speech of the distinguished gentleman from Cavite, and as chairman of your Finance Committee, I feel that this matter must be explained to the people. We cannot avoid explaining the whole thing to the people. Let the ax fall on whoever is responsible. If the chairman of the Finance Committee committed dereliction of duty in performing his duty, I am ready to face the judgment of the people and the judgment of my peers," Enrile said.

"So I would like this, the speech of Sen. Lacson, be exposed to full senate investigation... we will find out where is falsehood and where is truth... we owe it to the people," he added. -- With reports from ANC, and Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News