Teves: CA solons want posts as deal for vote

Finance Secretary Margarito Teves on Friday bared that some lawmakers in the powerful Commission on Appointments have been asking him for favors, in exchange for his confirmation. The demands do not involve money but the appointment of certain people to plum positions in revenue-raising agencies under the Finance department, he said. Nonetheless, Rep. Herminio Teves, Secetary Margarito Teves' father, on Thursday told reporters that he was approached by several CA members "selling" his son's confirmation for P5 million. In an interview with radio station dzMM, Secretary Teves said he himself had not been approached by those supposedly demanding money for his confirmation. "Ang sa akin ang request ay kung puwede maglagay ng tao diyan sa BIR sa customs, yung ganun request, in kind. Pero in terms of money, wala. (Those who have approached me ask me if it is possible to give people posts in the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs. I have not encountered people asking for money.)" Teves said. The Finance secretary, however, said other Cabinet members have had experiences with CA members asking for money in exchange for their confirmation. "May nag-volunteer sa akin na mga kasamahan natin sa Gabinete na umaming may ganu'n silang ekperyensya... Na hinihingan sila ng pera. (Other Cabinet members have told me that they have experienced this as well... That they were being asked for payment)," Teves said. Teves did not disclose the identities of those asking for favors, or even those who reportedly ask for money, saying this is "privileged information." But he did say that he only had experience of this kind with CA members in the House of Representatives. Secretary Teves has been bypassed by the CA, which has the power to confirm or reject appointments to the Cabinet, as well as star-rank officers of the Armed Forces, and senior officials of the foreign service and Philippine National Police. On Wednesday, BIR commissioner Jose Mario Buñag was eased out of his post for reportedly failing to meet tax collection goals. Malacanang promptly named deputy commissioner Lilian Hefti as BIR officer-in-charge. Buñag has denied charges of tax administration inefficiency, saying collection goals set by the Development & Budget Coordination Committee of which Teves is a member are unrealistic. The National Treasury, which is also under the Department of Finance, is functioning under an OIC as well. Finance undersecretary Roberto Tan sits at the helm of the Treasury until Malacanang appoints a new National Treasurer. Former National Treasurer Omar Cruz resigned his post in April due to “family reasons." Cruz, however, was reportedly having policy rifts with other members of the government’s Finance team. - GMANews.TV