CORRUPTION UNDER NOY / PALACE TO BUY NEW PRESIDENTIAL JET
MANILA, JANUARY 9,
2012 (TRIBUNE) By Angie M. Rosales -
Corruption by lawmakers
in the use of their so-called pork barrel continues to take place even under
the stewardship of President Aquino, a political ally in the Senate bared
yesterday.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who made the disclosure, said there are at least two
legislators he knows who have been "negotiating" a 10 to 15 percent alleged
com-mission from contractors.
The senator, however, refused to name names, saying that he is still in the
process of collating all the needed information and intends to report this out
to Aquino himself for proper action.
It was unclear why Lacson was baring these accusations without the evidence
to susbtantiate these charges, as he himself admitted that he still has to
confirm the reports he has received on this alleged commission-taking by the
legislators whom he did not even identify even whether they are senators or
congressmen.
Lacson said despite the straight path being advocated by the Aquino
government, the practice of taking commissions on the projects continues.
I've been receiving reports that I have yet to confirm but getting 10
percent commissions is now the norm from, 15 percent in the past after (Public
Works and Highways) Secretary (Rogelio) Singson (photo) reduced cost
estimates on his agency's projects.
So when the estimated cost is reduced, flexibility for corruption is also
brought down.
He knows that it is a practice in the DPWH that if the cost estimate is high,
the funding that goes to the project becomes small since the leeway for
kickbacks is wide, Lacson said.
Lacson said: "I've been talking to several contractors and they confirmed
that Singson brought cost estimates to bare bottom based on the specifications
of the projects.
"But I've been receiving reports that some officials still demand commissions
of 10 percent to 15 percent, and contractors usually haggle now for a 10 percent
commission," Lacson said.
So it is actually a conspiracy between government people and contractors. I
asked Singson during the budget deliberation if the DPWH had corrected its
computations and when he knows that a project is overpriced, the estimate is
correspondingly lowered. This was confirmed with several contractors I had a
chance of talking with," he added.
While the Supreme Court has ruled that there's nothing illegal with the pork
barrel system, the devil remains in its implementation, according to Lacson.
In the implementation of projects coming from the pork barrel allocations,
the practice of giving big commissions remains a problem.
"When I conducted my own research in 2001 when I first became senator I found
out how a senator can abuse P200 million or how a congressman pockets P70
million annually, there were a lot of ways to abuse the allocations and the
commission would go as high as 60 percent to 80 percent, leaving practically
nothing for the project," he said.
The corrupt practices are more rampant in so-called soft projects, which is
the purchase of books and medical supplies as opposed to hard projects which
involves infrastructure, Lacson added.
The level of commission depends on the degree of insatiability among
congressmen or senators, he said.
That is the same reason I have continued to refuse to accept pork barrel
since corruption in its use is public knowledge and I would be a suspect just
the same in getting commissions if I use it.
"So to me, to make it clear, I decided not to accept pork barrel," Lacson
said.
Lacson added that to show his commitment against abuse in the use of the pork
barrel, he has filed cases against public officials.
He did not name the officials against whom he claimed to have filed cases.
Lacson claimed that he had rejected overtures from President Aquino
for him to relent and use his pork barrel for good projects.
"He said 'I understand your position.' So the P200 million that is supposedly
allocated to me now goes to savings and will go back to the National Treasury."
He also recounted that a senator tried to persuade him to transfer the pork
to the official.
"I intend to report this incident to the president, I believe in his campaign
to clean up the government. So I'd like to put it to a test by reporting this to
him but I'd like to get full details," he said
"We'll need testimonies, somebody, maybe the contractor, or someone privy who
will testify. If not, then there will be no evidence. When I did my own
research, negotiations on the project happened on the corridor of the House. It
did not come from me, it came from in-depth investigative work of journalists.
There is no sophistication anymore. If they meet on the hallway, the transaction
happens there," he said.
FROM MANILA STANDARD TODAY
Palace plan to buy new presidential jet blasted
TWO lawmakers on Thursday opposed the government's plan to buy a new
presidential plane to replace the 30-year-old Fokker 28 being used by President
Benigno Aquino III.
Reacting to the Budget Department's plan, San Juan City Rep. Joseph Victor
Ejercito said there were more important things to spend money on, especially
after the damage wrought by tropical storm Sendong in Mindanao.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, who is also a member of the appropriations
committee, agreed, citing the more pressing need for relief and rehabilitation
in Mindanao.
"The government [can buy] a new presidential plane—but not just now," he
said.
Still, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said he saw nothing wrong with buying
a new plane as long as the transaction was transparent.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad had earlier said the department intended to
allot funds for the new presidential plane, noting that the Fokker 28 was too
old and the President "cannot be renting planes all the time."
House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said he approved of the plan to buy a
new plane for Mr. Aquino.
"I will support a supplemental budget for it if necessary," he said in a text
message, noting that he had even suggested it to the President.
The F-28 "Fellowship," with a total flying time of 5,525 hours, was
manufactured by the now-defunct Fokker Aviation BV based in The Netherlands. It
came off the factory floor in 1979 and was bought by the central bank for $15
million for use by then President Ferdinand Marcos.
The central bank then donated the plane to the Office of the President on
Dec. 26, 1995, after which the plane was turned over to the Air Force in May
2006. Maricel Cruz
Philippines Presidential Transport: THE FOKKER F28 - The 250th
(Presidential) Airlift Wing of the Philippine Air Force has the mandate of
providing safe and efficient air transport for the President of the Philippines
and the First Family.
On occasion, the wing has also been tasked to provide transportation for
other members of government, visiting heads of state, and other state guests.
The fleet includes: 1 Fokker F28 which is primarily used for the President's
domestic trips and it is also called "Kalayaan One" when the President is
onboard; 4 Bell 412 helicopters; 3 Sikorsky S-76 helicopters; 2 Aérospatiale
SA-330 Puma helicopters; 1 Sikorsky S-70-5 Black Hawk; a number of Bell UH-1N
Hueys; as well as Fokker F-27 Friendships.
For trips outside of the Philippines, the President uses the
Presidential aircraft of the Philippines,
a Bombardier Learjet 60 or
charters appropriate aircraft from Philippine Airlines.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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rights reserved
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