Allocables – at least those motivated by commissions and kickbacks – are no better than planned or attempted robbery, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said this is why it is key for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to take a closer look into the files left behind by the late Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
“If you submit a ‘wish list’ or allocables even if you have no assurance that it will be included in the final version of the General Appropriations Act… and if your motive is to collect commissions, then it may be likened to attempted, or at the very least, planned robbery,” he said in English and Filipino, in an interview on DZMM radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Commission-Driven Allocables, Walang Pinagkaiba sa Attempted o Planned Robbery
He maintained that while there is no problem if lawmakers request funding for projects that are properly studied as part of their commitment to their constituents, this should not be done while the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is still being worked on.
In his case, Lacson pointed out that his institutional amendments to the budget bill were grounded in duly vetted requests from concerned agencies, or in realignments made pursuant to his oversight function.
“For a congressman or senator to dip fingers into the NEP, that can be likened to attempted robbery if the intention for the allocables is to get commissions,” he said.
“Legislators have no say in the listing of projects in the NEP. The work of Congress is to introduce amendments to the NEP after it is submitted to Congress,” he added.
The “Cabral files” are among the documents the Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Lacson expects to tackle in its hearing on Monday, Jan. 19.
Lacson said he will ask the DPWH’s representatives at the hearing to authenticate the supposed documents from Cabral in his and other personalities’ possession.
If the DPWH cannot authenticate the documents – including those in his possession – Lacson said they will not be made part of the Blue Ribbon panel’s records.
“I will apply fairness – any document the DPWH does not authenticate, including those in my possession, will not be made part of the Blue Ribbon Committee’s records,” he said.
Bonoan’s ‘Absence’
Meanwhile, Lacson said the expected absence of ex-DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan at the Jan. 19 hearing will not stall the Blue Ribbon’s investigation – but may potentially hurt his case.
“It’s on him because he has to explain the submission of false data on grid coordinates to Malacanang. At Monday’s hearing, resource persons from the DPWH will testify. So it’s on him to air his side,” he said.
Lacson also said the Blue Ribbon Committee will ask representatives of the Department of Justice at the hearing to confirm if the DOJ approved Bonoan’s request to extend his stay in California because his wife’s eye operation was postponed to Feb. 15.
In an interview on DWAN Friday evening, Lacson also said he may take up with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and other committee members whether to allow Bonoan to attend via videoconferencing, if needed.
But he maintained Bonoan must be at the grounds of the Philippine embassy or consulate. “If he would attend through videoconferencing, it must be in the embassy grounds where the oath can be administered to him,” he said.
Lacson said the committee also invited former DPWH undersecretary Roberto Bernardo to shed light on an alleged attempt by former police chief Nicolas Torre III to take him under custody. He said that while Torre is not invited to the hearing, he is welcome to attend and air his side.
Also, Lacson said at least two resource persons are due to testify at the hearing on the purchase by former Speaker Martin Romualdez of a house and lot in South Forbes in April 2023, with contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II as “front.”
“I obtained copies of the deed of absolute sale and the checks used in the payment,” he said in an interview on DZBB radio Friday.
In the DZMM interview, Lacson also said that while Discaya was not named as the vendee or buyer in the sale, the vendee or buyer was a corporation whose substantial shareholder has “ties” to the former Speaker.
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Lacson: Commission-Driven Allocables, Walang Pinagkaiba sa Attempted o Planned Robbery
Ang mga allocable — partikular ang mga inuudyukan ng komisyon at kickback — ay walang ipinagkaiba sa planado o tinangkang pagnanakaw, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Giit ni Lacson, ito ang dahilan kung bakit mahalagang masusing suriin ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ang mga dokumentong iniwan ng yumaong Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.
“Nag-submit ka ng ‘wish list’ or allocables, kahit wala namang assurance na makasama sa final version ng General Appropriations Act… Kung ang motibo ay makakuha ng komisyon, it may be likened to attempted, or at the very least, planned robbery,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
Iginiit niya na walang problema kung humihiling ang mga mambabatas ng pondo para sa mga proyektong dumaan sa tamang pag-aaral bilang bahagi ng kanilang tungkulin sa kanilang mga nasasakupan, subalit hindi ito dapat ginagawa habang binubuo pa ang National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Binigyang-diin ni Lacson na ang kanyang mga institutional amendments sa panukalang badyet ay batay sa masusing nasuring mga kahilingan ng mga kinauukulang ahensya, o sa mga realignment na isinagawa alinsunod sa kanyang oversight function.
“Pero para sa isang kongresista o senador, na nagpe-prepare pa lang ng president’s budget, naka-dip ang fingers namin doon, kaya sinabi ko may be likened to attempted robbery – kung ang intention ang allocables ay mangomisyon,” aniya.
“Walang pakialam ang legislative sa paglista ng mga proyekto sa NEP. Ang trabaho lang ng legislature, mag-amend dahil panukalang batas itong NEP,” dagdag niya.
Ang tinaguriang “Cabral files” ay kabilang sa mga dokumentong inaasahang tatalakayin ng Blue Ribbon Committee na pinamumunuan ni Lacson sa pagdinig nito sa Lunes, Enero 19.
Hihilingin ni Lacson sa mga kinatawan ng DPWH sa pagdinig na i-authenticate ang mga sinasabing dokumentong mula kay Cabral na nasa kanyang pag-iingat at sa pag-iingat ng iba pang personalidad.
Kung hindi mapapatunayan ng DPWH ang mga dokumento — kabilang ang mga nasa kanyang pag-iingat — sinabi ni Lacson na hindi ito isasama sa mga rekord ng Blue Ribbon Committee.
“In fairness ia-apply ko sa aking sarili sa aking files ang ia-apply ko sa files na hawak ni Rep. Leandro Leviste at kung sinuman ang may pinanghahawakang documents, digital files o anuman, at di ito in-acknowledge ng ahensya, hindi naman pwedeng gawin nating gawin part ng record ng BRC and investigation,” aniya.
‘Pagliban’ ni Bonoan sa Pagdinig
Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na ang inaasahang hindi pagdalo ng dating DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan sa pagdinig sa Enero 19 ay hindi magpapahinto sa imbestigasyon ng Blue Ribbon Committee — ngunit maaari itong makaapekto sa kanyang kalagayan.
“It’s on him dahil siya dapat magpaliwanag. Yung ma-establish ang na-mislead sa pagpapa-submit ng mga mali-maling grid coordinates halos public na yan kasi meron ding resource person from DPWH na mag-testify sa Monday. So nasa sa kanya ipaliwanag kung bakit ganun ang nangyari,” aniya.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na hihilingin ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa mga kinatawan ng Department of Justice (DOJ) sa pagdinig na kumpirmahin kung inaprubahan ng DOJ ang kahilingan ni Bonoan na palawigin ang kanyang pananatili sa California dahil ipinagpaliban ang operasyon sa mata ng kanyang asawa hanggang Pebrero 15.
Sa panayam sa DWAN noong Biyernes ng gabi, sinabi rin ni Lacson na maaari niyang talakayin kina Senate President Vicente Sotto III at sa iba pang miyembro ng komite kung papayagan si Bonoan na dumalo sa pamamagitan ng videoconferencing, kung kinakailangan.
Ngunit iginiit niya na dapat nasa loob ng embahada o konsulado ng Pilipinas si Bonoan. “Basta nandoon siya sa loob ng embassy grounds at pwedeng administer sa kanya ang oath sa kanya sa loob ng embahada,” aniya.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na inimbitahan ng komite ang dating DPWH undersecretary na si Roberto Bernardo upang magbigay-linaw sa umano’y tangkang pagkuha sa kanya sa kustodiya ng dating hepe ng pulisya na si Nicolas Torre III. Bagama’t hindi inimbitahan si Torre sa pagdinig, sinabi ni Lacson na maaari siyang dumalo at ilahad ang kanyang panig.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, inaasahang may hindi bababa sa dalawang resource person na magpapatotoo sa pagdinig hinggil sa pagbili ng dating Speaker na si Martin Romualdez ng isang bahay at lupa sa South Forbes noong Abril 2023, kung saan si kontratistang Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II umano ang nagsilbing “front.”
“Nakakuha ako kopya ng deed of absolute sale at kabayaran ang mga check na ginamit,” sinabi niya sa isang panayam sa DZBB radio noong Biyernes.
Sa panayam din sa DZMM, sinabi ni Lacson na bagama’t hindi pinangalanan si Discaya bilang “buyer” o “vendee” sa bentahan, ang “buyer” o “vendee” ay isang korporasyon na ang pangunahing stockholder ay may “ugnayan” sa dating Speaker.
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