A former Cabinet official, who is seeking an elective post, was allegedly involved in the “parking” of at least P300 million in infrastructure projects in the proposed 2019 national budget, House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. disclosed Sunday.
In a statement, Andaya said a mayor from Region 5, told him over the weekend that the former Cabinet member parked the allocation in flood-mitigation projects for the Bicol region.
“Anytime ire-release na raw ang pondo. Nag-site visitation na,” he said, quoting the mayor who requested not to be named in the meantime.
Quoting the mayor, Andaya said more local government executives want to seek an audience with him to shed light on the so-called “parking scam” in the budget allocations in the region.
“Lumapit sa akin ang mayor dahil ngayon lang daw nila naiintindihan ang mga nangyayari. Pumayag sila sa parking scheme dahil para rin naman daw sa benepisyo ng mga constituents ang mga proyekto. Nililinaw lang nila na hindi daw sila kumita sa mga proyektong ito,” he said.
The House Committee on Rules, chaired by Andaya, will start its probe on the budget anomalies and anomalous allocations in the National Expenditure Program on Jan. 3 in Naga City.
Andaya vowed that the revelation of the mayor from Region 5 will be included in their investigation.
“The parking scheme, facilitated by the DBM, may eventually explain the huge spike allocated to flood mitigation projects from 2017 to 2018. From P79 billion in 2017, the budget for flood mitigation projects ballooned to a whooping P133 billion. Ibig sabihin, P54 billion ang nadagdag sa mga pondong ito,” he said.
“Ayon sa isang report, sa Region 5 pa lang, halos P2.2 billion ang nadagdag sa national projects na flood-related mula 2017 hanggang 2018,” he pointed out.
He said it seems that CT Leoncio Construction and Trading and the Aremar Construction are the “favored” contractor of the Department of Budget and Management led by Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
“Malalaman natin sa imbestigasyon ng House Rules Committee kung magkano dito ang napunta sa CT Leoncio at sa Aremar Constuction. Mukhang ito kasi ang paboritong mga kontraktor ng DBM,” Andaya said. (Charissa L. Atienza)