Singson denies profiting from right-of-way scam: ‘I’m definitely not a plunderer’

Former Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson on Monday denied that he profited from the supposed road right-of-way scam (RROW).

“I did not profit nor gained anything from any of these land claims as accused by Secretary (Vitaliano) Aguirre. There is no P8.7 billion paid in General Santos. I was not a corrupt secretary and definitely not a plunderer,” Singson said during the Senate public works committee hearing on the P8.7-billion scam.

Singson was seated beside Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II when he made his opening statement.

LOOK:Ex-DPWH Sec. Singson, Justice Sec. Aguirre, and road right-of-way scam whistleblower Roberto Catapang, Jr. attend Senate probe pic.twitter.com/PgbGflFOso

— Kaecee Alvarez (@kaeceealvarez) December 11, 2017

Singson, along with former Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, and Eldon Cruz, brother-in-law of former President Benigno Aquino III, were implicated by witness Roberto Catapang Jr.

Catapang alleged that Cruz’s name was frequently used by the syndicate in seeking compensation for RROW intended for rightful owners who were affected by the construction of a national highway in General Santos City.

Catapang previously presented a January 12, 2011 letter supposedly signed by Cruz, husband of Aquino’s eldest sister, Ballsy Aquino Cruz, urging Singson to endorse the payment for claims with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). He said Abad apparently approved the release of payment for illegal RROW claims as requested by Singson.

According to Singson, the letters presented by Capatang are “fake and spurious” as he himself verified such documents.

Singson explained that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects in question started back in the 1990s, and the titles shown by Catapang date back to 2003.

“Most of these claims or payments were filed between 2007 and 2009, before I took over the as Secretary of DPWH,” he said.

“Since I took over in July 2010, we strictly followed the prescribed procedure for validation and valuation of right-of-way claims,” Singson added.

Singson said that from 2010 to 2016 or during the Aquino administration, the total amount released to Region 12 for land claims, including General Santos City, only amounts to P2.209 billion.

He said no payments were made in 2012, and that payments resumed in March 2013 after the DPWH “were satisfied with the validity and authenticity of the claims supporting titles from the LRA (Land Registration Authority).”

“Again, from our side, we respect only, and we only pay on the basis of validated, verified titles from LRA. Wala kaming kinalaman sa lakaran, sa mga sindikato,” Singson said.

Singson and Abad have been placed in the Immigration lookout bulletin over their supposed involvement in the P8.7-billion scam.

Abad has called the accusation “baseless” while Cruz’s son said his father’s implication to the scam was “absurd and ridiculous.”

Aguirre said witness Capatang presented “bags full of documents” in support of his allegations.

Aguirre said the syndicate started its operations in 2009. Almost 300 folders, he said, contain fake RROW claims amounting to P8.7 billion. —ALG, GMA News