House probes ‘flood control scam’
Credit to Author: GLEE JALEA| Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2019 13:24:58 +0000
THE Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives will hold a public inquiry on Thursday on the controversial infrastructure projects involving an allegedly government-favored construction firm.
The panel subpoenaed Consolacion Leoncio, owner of C.T. Leoncio Construction and Trading; and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 5 officials Virgilio Eduarte, Danilo Verzola, Ignacio Odiaman, Wilfredo Flores, Larry Reyes, Merla Raveche, Jorge Gorimbao, Victor Azupardo, Gil Augustus Balmadrid, Noland Claro Guerrero, Malou Lacuna, Renato de Vera, and Elenita Tan.
The first hearing for the year will be held in Naga, two weeks before Congress resumes session.
Lawmakers who are expected to attend are Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Jr., Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Rodante Marcoleta, COOP-NATCCO Rep. Anthony Bravo and AKO-Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, Jr.
Diokno to skip probe
Andaya previously said that Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno was invited to clarify allegations of his involvement in the controversy but would not force him to come if he did not want to.
But Diokno’s camp told The Manila Times that the inquiy was not part of his schedule on Thursday.
The issue stemmed from Diokno’s alleged ties to the Hamors, his in-laws who bagged at least P325 million through some joint ventures with C.T. Leoncio.
Mayor Edwin Hamor of Casiguran, Sorsogon and Sorsogon Vice Governor Ester Hamor are both seeking elective posts in the 2019 polls.
Diokno’s “question hour” last December revealed that projects in the provinces were included in the P75 billion “inserted” by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted to Congress, after he affirmed that the amount was actually bigger than the initial P52 billion allocated for some DPWH projects which previously caused a series of delays in budget deliberations.
Diokno stepped in by approving at least P10 billion worth of funds to C.T. Leoncio, House leaders said.
After Diokno’s heated exchange with Andaya and Suarez, several Cabinet members sent a memorandum to President Rodrigo Duterte saying they have “witnessed the disrespect and utter lack of courtesy” of lawmakers during the question hour.
Malacañang, siding with Diokno, then said that Cabinet members may “excuse themselves and beg leave” if they were being treated with disrespect during congressional hearings.
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