P600-M budget ‘insertion’ sa Bulacan flood control, kinumpirma ni Lacson

MANILA, Philippines – Kinumpirma ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson nitong Huwebes ang pagkakaroon ng P600 milyon na pondo para sa flood control projects sa Bulacan sa 2023 unprogrammed budget.

Si Lacson, na namumuno sa Senate blue ribbon panel, ay nagpahayag ng pangangailangan para sa transparency sa pagdinig sa flood control.

“We want to be fair, we want to be transparent, we want to be honest, especially to the public. Just to lend credence to the assertion of — I don’t know if it’s Jaypee Mendoza or Brice Hernandez,” saad ni Lacson, tumutukoy kina dating Bulacan Assistant 1st District Engineer Jaypee Mendoza at dating Public Works and Highways District Engineer Brice Hernandez.

“Indeed, there really is P600 million as described, as enumerated under the unprogrammed fund. This is what you’re claiming Senator Joel inserted for Bulacan,” aniya.

Sinabi ni Lacson na binilang niya ang mga insertion, at sinabing pito o walong item na nagkakahalaga ng P75 milyon bawat isa, na may kabuuang P600 milyon.

Ang umano’y insertion ay nauna nang iniugnay ng isang dating opisyal ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) kay Villanueva.

Sa pagdinig ng committe on infrastructure ng Kamara, hiniling si Mendoza ng presiding officer at Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon na linawin ang mga larawan ng screen ng smartphone na nagpapakita ng mga pakikipag-usap sa isang “Sen. Joel.”

Sinabi ni Mendoza na humiling si Villanueva ng P1.5 bilyon mula kay dating DPWH District Engineer Henry Alcantara para sa isang multi-purpose building, ngunit sinabi ni Alcantara na P600 milyon lamang ang maaaring ilaan ni dating DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

Nang sabihin umano ni Alcantara na susundin niya ang mga kahilingan at makikipagpulong kay Villanueva, sinipi ang senador na siya ang mayoryang lider, hindi isang ordinaryong mambabatas.

Ang umano’y P600 milyong insertions ni Villanueva para sa Bulacan noong 2023 ay nauna nang natukoy bilang mga sumusunod:

• Rehabilitation of flood control structure along Balagtas River, Barangay Panginay, Phase III, Balagtas, Bulacan (P75 million Construction of Bocaue River flood mitigation structure, Station 12, +589 to Station 12, +739 at Barangay Bambang, Bocaue, Bulacan (P75 million)

• Construction of Bocaue River Flood Mitigation Structure at Station 4, +204 to Station 4 +354 at Barangay Turo, Bocaue, Bulacan (P75 million)

• Construction of Bocaue River Flood Mitigation Structure at Station 3 +036 to Station 3 +236 at Barangay Kaingin, Bocaue, Bulacan (P75 million)

• Construction of Bocaue River flood mitigation structure at Station 5 +466 to Station 5 +667 at Barangay Bunlo, Bocaue, Bulacan (P75 million)

• Construction of Balagtas River Flood Mitigation Structure at Station 3 +533 to Station 3 +683 at Barangay Santol, Balagtas, Bulacan (P75 million)

• Construction of Balagtas River Flood Mitigation Structure at Station 7 +654 to Station 7 +804 at Barangay Dalig, Balagtas, Bulacan (P75 million

• Construction of Balagtas River Flood Mitigation Structure at Station 14 +124 to Station 14 + 274 at Barangay San Juan, Balagtas, Bulacan (P75 million)

Sa parehong pagdinig, sinabi ni Villanueva na madaling masangkot sa isang bagay sa pamamagitan lamang ng pagbabago ng mga larawan.

“If we rely on pictures, anyone can claim anything. Let me show how easy it is to fake this one,” aniya.

Nagpatuloy siya upang ipakita kung gaano kadali ang isang pangalan ng contact sa Viber ay maaaring mapalitan at makuhanan ng larawan, kahit na ang mensahe ay ipinadala sa ‘disappearing mode’.

“Twenty seconds, Mr. Chairman. It took me 20 seconds to do that. One could say that the cellphone used to take the photo and the metadata of this picture are being used to claim that it was really taken in October 2023,” saad ni Villanueva.

Nauna rito, itinanggi ni Villanueva na may kinalaman siya sa umano’y maanomalyang flood control projects, at sinabing alam niya kung bakit siya dinadawit.

Binigyang-diin niya na ang kanyang tungkulin ay palaging pagsilbihan ang mga Pilipino, partikular ang kanyang mga kapwa Bulakenyo.

“I will never, ever destroy the name given to me by my parents because it is priceless. The Bible says that a good name is to be chosen over great riches. I was raised by my parents to believe in heaven and hell. I was raised to believe that when you die here on earth, you will face your Creator and immediately face judgment,” aniya. RNT/MND