COLUMN: OPINION ON PAGE ONE- Who’ll have the last word on all these? – By Francisco S. Tatad

DESPITE the strong words that have been exchanged between Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and the members of the House who want him fired for the alleged insertion of P75 billion in the P3.757 trillion 2019 national budget, and the particular award of P2.8-billion worth of flood control and other projects to a barely known political couple in Sorsogon whose son is said to be married to Diokno’s daughter, we have not heard the last about this case.

After the House passed a resolution calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to sack Diokno, the embattled budget chief started talking about why the congressmen wanted him out. Now highly informed sources in Sorsogon have come out with vital information that seeks to expose the corruption in the implementation of the projects. They tend to implicate certain personalities who have managed to distance themselves from the scandal until now.

In one TV interview, Diokno suggested the House resolution was in response to DU30’s move to abolish the Road Board, which collects charges from motorists for their use of the road, as well as to the budget chief’s own refusal, upon DU30’s instruction, to release P45 billion in “road users tax” from the board, before DU30 signs into law the bill abolishing it.

Created in 2000 before Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became president, the Road Board has since functioned as a “cash cow” of the House. And that is how Diokno calls it. Its funds are treated as an “off-budget” item under the Department of Public Works and Highways, and this allows the board to operate like an independent DPWH within the DPWH. Under GMA, the board used to be headed by Minority Leader Danny Suarez, the author of the House resolution demanding Diokno’s head.

This seems to explain why Arroyo wants the House-approved bill abolishing the board recalled from the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon says this can no longer be done under the rules, but House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. maintains the contrary, saying that without Arroyo’s signature in the bill’s enrolled copy, DU30 will have nothing to sign into law. What I cannot seem to understand is, if DU30 is determined to abolish the board and the process has already reached the “bicameral conference committee” stage, how can Arroyo, who is supposed to be DU30’s primary supporter, still trying to undo the process?

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In his latest public statement, Diokno suggested that Arroyo’s moves are part of her power play in preparation for her being termed out after the May 2019 elections. According to him, Arroyo is eyeing the position of secretary of finance currently held by Secretary Carlos Dominguez. Some Malacañang insiders suggest she might even settle for the position of Executive Secretary, a staff position that carries the title of “Little President,” and who is mistakenly accorded greater importance than the position deserves.

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The obvious meaning of this suggestion is that by going after Diokno, Mrs. Arroyo is trying to demonstrate ascendancy in the Cabinet even before she joins it.

At the Question Hour in the House on December 11, Suarez suggested that because of the marriage of Diokno’s daughter Charlotte Justine to Jojo Sikat, the contractor-son of Mayor Edwin Hamor of Casiguran, who is running for reelection, and Sorsogon Vice Governor Ester Hamor, who is running for city mayor of Sorsogon, Casiguran and Sorsogon got P2.8 billion in questionable budgetary insertions. Diokno denied any involvement in the award.

In a rather poorly phrased exchange with Suarez, Diokno said, “Let me tell you, your honor, I’ve served three presidents. I’m known for my integrity, okay? I have no relatives, no friends as far as public affairs are concerned. That is my reputation. That’s why they call me Dr. No. So, I don’t know what your question is all about.”

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I expected Diokno to issue an outright denial of the accusation, saying nobody has ever accused him of dishonesty before. Instead, he said, “I’m known for my integrity, okay?” Supposing Suarez had said, “I’m sorry sir, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Some people in Sorsogon who claim to have an intimate knowledge of what’s happening in Sorsogon and Casiguran claim that Diokno is not as distant from the Hamor family and their construction business as he wants to make it appear. They claim that a few days after Vice Governor Ester Hamor filed her certificate of candidacy for mayor of Sorsogon City, to challenge the multi-awarded Mayor Sally Lee, the budget secretary came to Sorsogon and met with some local leaders. They also claim that through Mayor Hamor he met with other Sorsogon mayors on previous occasions.

The same sources have come forward with questions about the various public works projects in Sorsogon, which have been awarded to the Hamor family, which operates Aremar construction company, in Sorsogon, Quezon province, and the island of Samar. In particular they have asked questions about the three-kilometer Sorsogon Coastal City Coastal Road, estimated to cost P1 billion and counting, and the Casiguran reclamation project, estimated at P300 million, and the various road projects all leading to Mayor Edwin Amor’s “Hacienda del Amor” near Bulusan volcano, connecting Barcelona and Casiguran.

They believe there’s rampant overpricing in all these flood control-related projects, but they wonder why they have not heard one word about it from the more responsible Bicol leaders like Sen. Francis Escudero. Chiz, who is from Sorsogon, has an important contribution to make in this inquiry. He could begin by asking for a public accounting of the costs of the Sorsogon and Casiguran projects. If he is supporting these projects, he should be able to tell his countrymen why he is. We are convinced that we could resolve the corruption issue that has been raised at the Cabinet level, by looking at how the questioned projects are being implemented by those who have been favored by the gods to implement them.

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