Distinct. Funders. Passing Through/Parking Fee. Reseta. These are among the first batch of terms in a “corruptionary” or dictionary of corrupt practices compiled by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson in his investigation of anomalies that marred flood control projects in many parts of the country.
Lacson cited these terms in his privilege speech Wednesday afternoon, where he detailed the schemes that siphoned at least half of P1.9 trillion from taxpayers for the last 15 years.
“In the course of our research and investigation, we encountered several words – their meanings, we could not find in the dictionary. So we looked somewhere else. Alas! We found them – in the ‘corruptionary,’” he said.
In Filipino: Lacson, Bumubuo ng ‘CORRUPTIONary’ Dulot ng Katiwalian sa Flood Control Projects
According to the “corruptionary,” DISTINCT refers to multiple budget items seen in the General Appropriations Act with the same contract cost.
Lacson said his informants in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as well as some contractors said this is a “coded budget” that indicates who “owns” the project.
“Para sa nakakaunawa, ang ibig sabihin po ay, – ‘akin yan.’ (For those in the know, this means that project is mine),” he said.
He cited instances of such “distinct” projects in the Bulacan first engineering district formerly headed by Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez, where several riverbank protection structure projects had the same contract price of P77.199 million – and turned out to be ghost projects.
“This is well-orchestrated by an organized network of people who abuse their power. May isang grupo sa loob ng 1st District Engineering Office ng Bulacan na kilalang ‘sindikato’ ng mga substandard at ‘ghost’ projects. Ang kanilang modus, manghihiram ng lisensya sa mga suki nilang contractors. Gamit ang lisensya ng contractors, sila na ang mag-i-implement ng projects o kung hindi man, magpoproseso ng mga dokumento para lumabas na ‘completed’ na ang ghost projects (This is well-orchestrated by an organized network of people who abuse their power. A group in the 1st District Engineering Office is a known syndicate of substandard and ghost projects. It uses contractors’ licenses to implement projects or process documents to show the ghost projects were ‘completed’),” Lacson said.
The second term, RESETA, refers to the 2-3% kickback of the District Engineering Office. It is the “excess” amount from the contractor’s profit.
Lacson said this is called “Reseta” because the amount dictated by the district engineering office is like medicine prescribed by a doctor – to be just swallowed by the contractor.
“Parang gamot – lulunukin na lang ng contractor (It’s like medicine, to be just swallowed by the contractor),” he said.
The third term, PASSING THROUGH/PARKING FEE, refers to the “royalty” to politicians who control a district where the project will be implemented. It can take 5 to 6% of the project cost.
Meanwhile, the fourth term, FUNDERS, refers to the politicians who are proponents of the project, who get 20 to 25 percent of the project cost.
Lacson cited the case of a “funder” who managed to insert P1.1 billion for flood control projects in Barangay Mulawin in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. While the barangay was to get only three projects worth P810 million in the National Expenditure Program, this ballooned to eight projects worth P1.9 billion in the House version of the budget bill. “The remaining P1.1 billion was inserted – I repeat – inserted in the House version, Mr. President,” Lacson said.
Lacson noted that flood control project costs include 5% for Value-Added Tax, 2% for withholding tax, 1% for bonds and insurances, and 1% for materials testing; with the allowable contractor’s profit at 8-10%. Thus, 82% will be left for the project itself. But he lamented that the cost for the project is further sliced into:
* 8-10% for DPWH officials, with at least 6% for district engineers
* 2-3% for the District Engineering Office
* 5-6% for members of the Bids and Awards Committee
* 0.5 to 1% for the Commission on Audit
* 5-6% for ‘passing through’ or ‘parking fee’ for politicians who control districts where the projects are implemented
* 20-25% for the funder or politicians who are proponents of the project
In the wake of the corruption he exposed, Lacson reiterated his call for “greed control.” He insisted as well on his call that legislator-proponents of insertions in the budget be identified and recorded, “so they can also be made answerable for substandard and ghost projects that they had proposed or sponsored.”
“The depth of corruption has become so overwhelming that it drowns us in our sad state: More than flood control, what the Filipino people badly need to see is greed control,” he said.
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Lacson, Bumubuo ng ‘CORRUPTIONary’ Dulot ng Katiwalian sa Flood Control Projects
Distinct. Funders. Passing Through/Parking Fee. Reseta. Ilan lamang ito sa unang mga salitang nakalap ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson sa kanyang “corruptionary” — isang diksyunaryo ng mga tiwaling gawain kaugnay ng mga iregularidad sa mga flood control projects sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa.
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson ang mga salitang ito sa kanyang privilege speech nitong Miyerkules ng hapon, kung saan idinetalye niya ang mga modus na humigop ng hindi bababa sa kalahati ng ₱1.9 trilyon mula sa kaban ng bayan sa nakalipas na 15 taon.
“In the course of our research and investigation, we encountered several words – their meanings, we could not find in the dictionary. So we looked somewhere else. Alas! We found them – in the ‘corruptionary,’” ani Lacson.
Ayon sa “corruptionary,” ang DISTINCT ay tumutukoy sa paulit-ulit na budget items na makikita sa General Appropriations Act na may pare-parehong contract cost.
Ibinunyag ni Lacson na ayon sa kanyang mga impormante mula sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at ilang kontratista, ito ay isang uri ng “coded budget” na nagsisilbing palatandaan kung kanino ang proyekto.
“Para sa nakakaunawa, ang ibig sabihin po ay, – ‘akin yan,’” ani niya.
Binanggit niya ang ilang halimbawa ng ganitong “distinct” projects sa Bulacan First Engineering District na dating pinamunuan nina Henry Alcantara at Brice Hernandez, kung saan maraming riverbank protection structure projects ang parehong may contract price na ₱77.199 milyon — na kalaunan ay napatunayang mga ghost projects.
“This is well-orchestrated by an organized network of people who abuse their power. May isang grupo sa loob ng 1st District Engineering Office ng Bulacan na kilalang ‘sindikato’ ng mga substandard at ‘ghost’ projects. Ang kanilang modus, manghihiram ng lisensya sa mga suki nilang contractors. Gamit ang lisensya ng contractors, sila na ang mag-i-implement ng projects o kung hindi man, magpoproseso ng mga dokumento para lumabas na ‘completed’ na ang ghost projects,” paliwanag ni Lacson.
Ang ikalawang termino, RESETA, ay tumutukoy sa 2-3% kickback ng District Engineering Office — isang “sobrang” halaga mula sa tubo ng contractor.
Tinawag itong Reseta dahil ang halagang idinidikta ng district engineering office ay parang gamot na inireseta ng doktor.
“Parang gamot – lulunukin na lang ng contractor,” ani Lacson.
Ang pangatlong term, PASSING THROUGH/PARKING FEE, ay ang “royalty” na babayaran sa pulitikong may hawak sa distrito kung saan ipapatupad ang proyekto. Sakop nito ang 5 hanggang 6% ng project cost.
Samantala, ang ikaapat na termino, FUNDERS, ay tumutukoy sa mga pulitikong nagsusulong ng proyekto, na nakikinabang ng 20 hanggang 25 porsyento ng halaga ng proyekto.
Bilang halimbawa, binanggit ni Lacson ang isang “funder” na nakapagpasok ng ₱1.1 bilyon para sa flood control projects sa Barangay Mulawin, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Habang tatlong proyekto lamang na nagkakahalaga ng ₱810 milyon ang nakasaad sa National Expenditure Program, lumobo ito sa walong proyekto na nagkakahalaga ng ₱1.9 bilyon sa bersyon ng Kamara.
“The remaining P1.1 billion was inserted – I repeat – inserted in the House version, Mr. President,” dagdag niya.
Ipinaliwanag ni Lacson na karaniwang may kasama nang 5% Value-Added Tax, 2% withholding tax, 1% bonds and insurances, at 1% materials testing ang flood control project costs, bukod pa sa 8-10% allowable contractor’s profit. Dapat sana, 82% ang natitira para sa mismong proyekto. Ngunit, ani Lacson, lalo pa itong nababawasan dahil hinahati-hati ng mga sumusunod:
* 8-10% para sa mga opisyal ng DPWH, kung saan hindi bababa sa 6% ang napupunta sa district engineers
* 2-3% para sa District Engineering Office
* 5-6% para sa mga miyembro ng Bids and Awards Committee
* 0.5-1% para sa Commission on Audit
* 5-6% para sa “passing through” o “parking fee” para sa mga pulitikong may kontrol sa mga distrito kung saan ipinatutupad ang proyekto
* 20-25% para sa funder o mga pulitikong nagsusulong ng proyekto
Kasunod ng mga ibinunyag na anomalya, muling nanawagan si Lacson ng “greed control.” Giit niya, dapat nang tukuyin at itala ang mga mambabatas na nagsusulong ng insertions sa budget, “para managot din sila sa mga substandard at ghost projects na kanila mismong iminungkahi o sinuportahan.”
“The depth of corruption has become so overwhelming that it drowns us in our sad state: More than flood control, what the Filipino people badly need to see is greed control,” aniya.
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