Senators are not beyond suspicion in the controversy over anomalous and ghost flood control projects at this time, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said on Saturday.
Lacson noted that both his fellow senators and House members introduce insertions or amendments in the national budget bill, thus his repeated calls for transparency in the budgeting process.
“I am not saying it’s just members of the House. It is possible that some senators introduce insertions for such projects, and may even profit from the 25% share for the ‘funder’ or proponent of the insertions from the flood control project costs,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZRH radio.
“I’ll put it this way. There may be senators and House members who may be connected to anomalous flood control projects,” he said in a separate interview on DZMM, when asked if there are senators who may have ties to the questionable projects.
In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Ligtas ang mga Senador sa Isyu ng Anomalya sa Flood Control Projects
When asked why no senator has so far been linked to the mess, Lacson said it is not right to name names without proof. In his case, he said he would make public his findings only after they have solid factual basis.
Lacson noted that both senators and House members can propose insertions to the budget, with their respective motivations. These may range from helping their constituents to fulfilling campaign “promises” – or even to fill their pockets with commissions out of their individual insertions, legally known as amendments.
He added that lawmakers who propose insertions for infrastructure projects may have the “right” to choose the contractors for the projects.
“When you insert, you have claim, or royalty, or the right to choose the contractor for the project,” he said.
Lacson said this is why he has been fighting for full transparency in the budgeting process, including putting on record the names of lawmakers proposing amendments to the budget.
Such full transparency, where proponents of insertions are publicly identified, not only allows the public to know where their taxes go but also acts as a deterrent to those making insertions for questionable projects.
“It will be easier to trace anomalous or ghost projects to the congressman or senator who proposed insertions for it,” he said.
Otherwise, Lacson said that without full transparency in the budget, the “hubris” that fueled the systemic and organized corruption behind anomalous and ghost flood control projects, such as in the first engineering district in Bulacan, will continue.
“It’s hubris. Those involved in the corruption have become overconfident such that they disregard public perception, opinion and need. They close their eyes to the public in favor of their greed, thus the ghost projects so that all those involved will profit,” he said.
But Lacson said he is also hoping that with the public now aware of the issue, they will report anomalies to the authorities, including through the SumbongSaPangulo website. This is the bigger challenge after his privilege speech last Aug. 20, he said.
“I am hoping the endgame is that the big fish will be held accountable – charged, prosecuted, convicted, and jailed, so they will not be emulated. So long as there are those who exploit the system, others will follow their bad example,” he said.
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Lacson: Hindi Ligtas ang mga Senador sa Isyu ng Anomalya sa Flood Control Projects
Hindi pa maaaring sabihing ligtas ang mga senador sa kontrobersya ng mga maanomalya at “ghost” flood control projects sa ngayon, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Ani Lacson, parehong mga senador at miyembro ng Kamara ang nagsisingit o sumusulong ng amyenda sa panukalang budget — kung kaya’t paulit-ulit siyang nananawagan para sa transparency sa proseso ng pagbubuo ng budget.
“Hindi ko sinasabing taga-House lang… Posibleng meron ding senador na nag-insert at kabahagi din siya sa 25% share na tinatawag na funder or proponent o sponsor ng insertions,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa DZRH.
“Ganito na lang ang sasabihin ko, maaaring meron, maaari ring merong congressmen,” dagdag niya sa hiwalay na panayam sa DZMM, nang tanungin kung may mga senador ding sangkot sa mga kwestiyonableng proyekto.
Nang tanungin kung bakit wala pang senador na natutukoy na sangkot, iginiit ni Lacson na hindi tama ang magpangalan nang walang matibay na ebidensya. Sa kanyang kaso, tiniyak niya na ilalantad lamang niya ang mga natuklasan kapag may solidong basehan.
Binanggit ni Lacson na parehong mga senador at miyembro ng Kamara ay maaaring magsingit ng pondo sa budget, na may kanya-kanyang dahilan. Maaari itong mula sa pagtulong sa kanilang mga nasasakupan hanggang sa pagtupad ng mga pangakong pangkampanya — o kaya’y para punuin ang sariling bulsa sa pamamagitan ng komisyon mula sa kanilang mga insertion, na sa batas ay tinatawag na amendments.
Aniya, ang mga mambabatas na gumagawa ng insertions para sa infrastructure projects ay maaaring nagkakaroon ng “karapatan” na pumili ng kontratista para rito.
“Pag nag-insert ka, parang meron kang claim, meron kang royalty, meron kang right mag-assert dahil ako nag-insert, baka pwedeng ako na pumili ng contractor niyan,” aniya.
Dahil dito, ipinaglaban muli ni Lacson ang transparency sa proseso ng pagbubuo ng budget, kabilang ang pagbibigay ng record ng mga pangalan ng mambabatas na nagmumungkahi ng amendments.
Ang ganitong transparency, kung saan hayagang natutukoy ang mga proponent ng insertions, ay hindi lamang nagbibigay-kaalaman sa publiko kung saan napupunta ang kanilang buwis kundi nagsisilbi ring panakot laban sa mga gumagawa ng kwestiyonableng proyekto.
“Madaling maturo kung pumalpak ang implementation—matutukoy natin sino ang congressman o senador na nag-insert o nag-author o nag-propose ng amendments a.k.a. insertion,” aniya.
Kung wala ang transparency na ito, babala ni Lacson, magpapatuloy ang “hubris” na nagpasiklab sa sistematiko at organisadong korapsyon sa likod ng anomalya at ghost projects, gaya ng nakita sa unang engineering district sa Bulacan.
“Hubris. Sumobra ang kanilang self-confidence kung saan dinisregard nila ang public perception, disregard nila ang public opinion, and disregard nila ang public need. Lahat ng tungkol sa publiko sinarhan na nila ang kanilang mata dahil hindi na ma-control ang greed. Hindi na magkasya sa karaket na may porsyento dito, may porsyento doon. Sinagad na hanggang sa umabot sa ghost project para lahat kinita na,” aniya.
Gayunman, umaasa si Lacson na ngayong mas may kamalayan ang publiko sa isyu, magsusumbong ang mga tao ng anomalya sa mga awtoridad, kabilang ang sa SumbongSaPangulo website. Ito raw ang mas malaking hamon matapos ang kanyang privilege speech noong Agosto 20.
“Ang dulo nito sana we are all hoping na sana may managot. Sana may malalaking tao na makasuhan, ma-prosecute, ma-convict, at makulong para nang sa ganoon huwag na pamarisan. Kasi habang may nakikita ang ating ibang kasamahan na nakakaligtas naman ang naakusahan, pamamarisan,” aniya.
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