Floods and the corruption behind substandard and ghost flood control projects have turned Filipinos’ lives into a living hell, and Congress is the “original sin” behind it all.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Monday as he said the logical conclusion to the Senate investigation on the matter must at least reach this “original sin.”
“We must make sure that the logical conclusion does not stop with Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Sally Santos or the Discayas. We must see to it that the logical conclusion reaches the ‘original sin,'” Lacson, who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee looking into the mess, said in Filipino in an interview on True FM.
“Congress is the original sin here. If congressmen and senators did not insert funds, there would be no funds for corrupt Department of Public Works and Highways officials to play with, especially in the district engineering offices. It has come to a point where corruption became systemic, where even junior functionaries invent their own money-making schemes,” he added.
Lacson is to chair the next hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. He said he has asked Senate President Vicente Sotto III to slightly delay the start of the regular session to 4 p.m.
In Filipino: Lacson: Kongreso ang ‘Original Sin’ sa Impyerno ng Maanomalyang Flood Control Projects
Sacked DPWH engineers Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez, Syms Construction owner Sally Santos, and Cezarah and Pacifico Discaya II are among those who had attended the Senate Blue Ribbon panel’s hearings on the issue.
While Hernandez had shown signs of remorse and cooperation with the Senate along with Santos, Alcantara was cited in contempt of the committee and ordered detained for his refusal to cooperate. Pacifico II was cited in contempt of the committee as well, while Cezarah was issued a show cause order.
Lacson said the Blue Ribbon Committee is to analyze on Monday the documents and other items submitted by Hernandez after he was allowed to return to his home under tight security to retrieve potential evidence to back his allegations.
Earlier, Hernandez had linked Senators Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada to insertions in the 2023 and 2025 budgets, as well as kickbacks for flood control projects. Villanueva and Estrada denied the allegations.
When asked what he expected to get from the items Hernandez brought back, Lacson said the important thing is to get to the bottom of the case.
“The important thing is to get to the bottom of the case and hold those accountable to task. Not just the Hernandezes and Alcantaras of this world, but those above them. As of now we cannot get to them until we gather enough evidence,” he said.
Lacson reiterated that former DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo is among those invited to Tuesday’s hearing. He said Bernardo as DPWH undersecretary for operations appointed Alcantara to the DPWH in Bulacan. Alcantara at the time was floating and “seconded” to the City of Manila under then Mayor Joseph Estrada.
Helping ICI
Lacson added that if during the hearing, evidence is presented that may help the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s investigation, it will be shared with it immediately.
“I am not bragging but we can greatly help the ICI, if we don’t keep evidence to ourselves, and we will not. We will help,” he said.
Self-Restraint
Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated the need for Congress to practice self-restraint and not make insertions for locally funded infrastructure projects.
“I hope House Speaker Faustino Dy III and Senate President Tito Sotto can agree with the chairmen of the House appropriations committee and Senate finance committee to bar insertions for infrastructure projects especially for the DPWH. Because it all starts there, and some lawmakers got greedier and greedier,” he said.
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Lacson: Kongreso ang ‘Original Sin’ sa Impyerno ng Maanomalyang Flood Control Projects
Naging impyerno ang buhay ng karaniwang Pilipino dahil sa pagbaha at sa korapsyon sa likod ng mga palpak at guniguning flood control projects – at ang Kongreso ang “original sin” dito.
Idiniin ito nitong Lunes ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, sabay giit na ang lohikal na konklusyon ng imbestigasyon ng Senado ay dapat umabot sa naturang “original sin.”
“Ang logical conclusion, dapat maabangan natin, hindi hihinto tayo kay Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, Sally Santos o mga Discaya. Dapat makita natin umabot tayo sa original sin,” ani Lacson, na namumuno sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na nagsisiyasat sa naturang usapin, sa panayam sa True FM.
“Ang original sin dito, Congress. Kung hindi nag-insert ang congressmen at senador, walang pondong pagkukunan ang tiwaling official sa DPWH lalo na sa mga DEO. Umabot na sa sukdulan kasi may nakausap din kami kasama ang staff ko, umabot sa sukdulan naging systemic pati ang mga minor functionaries, planning, mga section chiefs, naghahanapbuhay na rin,” dagdag niya.
Pamumunuan muli ni Lacson ang susunod na pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa Martes, Setyembre 23, ganap na ika-9 ng umaga. Aniya, hiningi na niya kay Senate President Vicente Sotto III na bahagyang ipagpaliban ang pagbubukas ng regular na sesyon sa ika-4 ng hapon.
Kabilang sa mga nasangkot sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee sina tinanggal na inhenyero ng DPWH na sina Henry Alcantara at Brice Hernandez; ang may-ari ng Syms Construction na si Sally Santos; at sina Cezarah at Pacifico Discaya II.
Habang si Hernandez at Santos ay nagpakita ng kooperasyon, si Alcantara naman ay cited in contempt of the committee at kinulong sa Senado. Si Pacifico II ay cited din in contempt of the committee samantalang si Cezarah ay binigyan ng show cause order.
Sinabi ni Lacson na pag-aaralan ngayong Lunes ng komite ang mga dokumento at ebidensiyang isinumite ni Hernandez matapos siyang payagang bumalik sa kanilang bahay upang kunin ang posibleng mga patunay sa kanyang mga paratang, sa ilalim ng mahigpit na seguridad.
Nauna rito, idinawit ni Hernandez sina Senador Joel Villanueva at Jinggoy Estrada sa mga umano’y insertions sa budget ng 2023 at 2025, gayundin sa mga kickback sa flood control projects na itinanggi nina Villanueva at Estrada.
Nang tanungin kung ano ang inaasahan niyang makukuha mula sa mga ebidensiyang dinala ni Hernandez, sinabi ni Lacson: “Ang importante, get to the bottom at managot ang dapat managot. Hindi lang ang Hernandezes and Alcantaras of the world kundi alam nating may mas mataas. Di lang natin maabot kasi di naabot ng ebidensya.”
Muling binigyang-diin ni Lacson na kabilang sa mga inimbitahan sa Martes na pagdinig si dating DPWH Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, na nagtalaga kay Alcantara sa DPWH sa Bulacan. Sa panahong iyon, “floating” umano si Alcantara at na-“second” sa Lungsod ng Maynila sa ilalim ni noo’y Mayor Joseph Estrada.
Tulong sa ICI
Dagdag ni Lacson, kung may ilalabas na ebidensiya sa pagdinig na makakatulong sa imbestigasyon ng Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), agad nila itong ibabahagi.
“Malaking bagay din kaya malaking tulong kami sa ICI. Di sa pagmamalaki maski papano makakatulong kami. Huwag kami magdadamot at hindi kami magdadamot, tutulong kami,” aniya.
Self-Restraint
Samantala, muling ipinanawagan ni Lacson na dapat magpakita ng self-restraint ang Kongreso at umiwas sa paglalagay ng insertions para sa locally funded infrastructure projects.
“Magkaisa sana si Speaker Bojie at SP Tito, mag-usap kami kasama ang appropriations at finance chairmen namin na pagbawalan namin ang sarili namin na mag-insert ng infrastructure lalo na sa DPWH. Kasi diyan nagsimula. Nawili ng nawili,” ani Lacson.
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