Massive cash deliveries made to now-sacked engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including a P457-million one-time delivery last March, may point to bigger players in the flood control project mess, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, said it is baffling why a contractor is delivering cash to DPWH engineers for projects when it should be the other way around.
He was referring to the cash deliveries made by Syms Construction owner Sally Santos to sacked DPWH Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez at least three times this year alone.
In Filipino: Lacson: Dambuhalang P457-M Cash Delivery sa mga Inhinyero ng DPWH, Maaaring Magturo sa Mas Malalaking Tao sa Flood Control Mess
“It is baffling. Why would a contractor deliver cash to the district engineering office when it should be the other way around – the DPWH pays the contractor for the completion of projects,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
“What is the P457 million for? What projects are involved? And why pay in cash?” he added in an interview on DZRH.
He said this may indicate that Santos could have been paid for the completion of projects implemented by Syms Construction, but she would return it to Hernandez. “That alone is anomalous,” he said.
During the Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearing on Thursday, Santos testified that she delivered massive amounts of cash to Hernandez at least three times this year alone, including:
* P457 million on March 24
* P141 million on May 6
* P65 million on May 23
Lacson said they are still trying to establish how the money was divided, even as he said ex-DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara’s refusal to cooperate in the hearing indicate he is protecting someone.
“He is obviously protecting someone. If Alcantara cracks, maybe we can get to who are behind him,” he said of Alcantara.
‘Seed of Corruption’
Lacson hinted at the possibility of an insider in the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which can recommend to the President the release of unprogrammed funds – including possibly for flood control projects.
“You can suspect that,” he said when asked on DZBB if those behind the corruption in flood control projects had an insider in the DBM.
But he lamented that the seed of all this corruption can be traced to greedy lawmakers who make insertions in the budget bill.
“It appears the seed of all this is Congress. If no one allocated or inserted, we wouldn’t have come to this. If there is someone to blame for this, it is the lawmakers who have become greedy and brazen,” he said.
Lacson also maintained he will not be distracted in the investigation, and will be guided by evidence.
“I will not be distracted. I will be guided by evidence, and not necessarily go where angry netizens want to take us. We go where the evidence takes us,” he said on Balitanghali.
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Lacson: Dambuhalang P457-M Cash Delivery sa mga Inhinyero ng DPWH, Maaaring Magturo sa Mas Malalaking Tao sa Flood Control Mess
Ang dambuhalang cash delivery na ginawa sa mga sinibak na inhinyero ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), kabilang ang isang ₱457-milyon na one-time delivery nitong Marso, ay maaaring magturo sa mas malalaking players sa flood control project mess, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Giit ni Lacson, na namumuno sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, nakakapagtaka kung bakit contractor ang nagdadala ng cash sa mga inhinyero ng DPWH gayong dapat ay kabaliktaran — DPWH ang nagbabayad sa contractor para sa proyekto.
Tinukoy niya ang mga cash delivery na ginawa ng Syms Construction owner na si Sally Santos kay sinibak na DPWH Bulacan engineer Brice Hernandez nang hindi bababa sa tatlong beses ngayong taon.
“Kaya nakakapagtaka. Bakit ang contractor ang nagdadala ng cash sa District Engineering Office samantalang baligtad, ang nagbabayad niyan, ang pag-download ng pondo bababa sa DEO. Pagkatapos ang DEO ito na pagka first, second, third progress billing, nire-release unti-unti,” ani Lacson sa DZBB.
“Saan ba ang ₱457M na yan, anong mga proyekto yan, at saka bakit cash?” dagdag niya sa panayam sa DZRH.
Aniya, maaaring binayaran si Santos para sa mga proyekto ng Syms Construction, pero ibinalik naman ito kay Hernandez. “Yan pa lang napakalaking anomalya,” giit ni Lacson.
Sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee nitong Huwebes, sinabi ni Santos na tatlong beses siyang nag-deliver ng malalaking halaga ng cash kay Hernandez ngayong taon:
* ₱457 milyon noong Marso 24
* ₱141 milyon noong Mayo 6
* ₱65 milyon noong Mayo 23
Dagdag ni Lacson, patuloy pa nilang tinutukoy kung paano hinati ang pera. Binigyang-diin din niya na ang pagtanggi ni ex-DPWH Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara na makipagtulungan ay indikasyong may pinoprotektahan ito.
“Meron siyang pinoprotektahan, that’s quite obvious. Kung si Alcantara magsasalita, aabot tayo sa sino talagang pasimuno,” aniya.
‘Seed of Corruption’
Nagpahiwatig din si Lacson ng posibilidad na may insider sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM), na siyang maaaring magrekomenda sa Pangulo ng pag-release ng unprogrammed funds — kasama na ang para sa flood control projects.
“You can suspect that,” tugon niya nang tanungin sa DZBB kung may insider sa DBM ang nasa likod ng flood control corruption.
Ngunit binigyang-diin ni Lacson na ang ugat ng korapsyon ay nagsisimula sa mga mambabatas na gumagawa ng insertions sa budget bill.
“Lumalabas na ang pinaka-seed dito, Congress. Kung walang nag-allocate o nag-insert, hindi tayo aabot sa ganito. Kung hahanap tayo ng bubuntuhan ng sisi, unang sisihin natin ang mga mambabatas na nawili na,” aniya.
Dagdag ni Lacson, hindi siya madidistract sa imbestigasyon at ang gagabay lamang ay ebidensya.
“Hindi ako madi-distract. Sabi ko nga, ebidensya ang titingnan ko, hindi where the ‘angry netizens’ want to take us. Where the evidence takes us, doon kami,” giit niya sa Balitanghali.
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