DBM ‘inserted’ over P325M for infrastructure projects in Casiguran, Sorsogon —Andaya

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allegedly inserted more than P325 million for infrastructure projects under the 2019 national budget in a town in Sorsogon, where the in-laws of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno serve as leaders.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya made the revelation on Thursday as the squabble between the House leadership and the Cabinet official continues.

"In the proposed 2019 national budget, the House discovered recently that the DBM allocated more than P325 million for infrastructure projects in Casiguran, Sorsogon," Andaya said in a statement to reporters.

"These projects were included in the P75 billion inserted by the DBM in the National Expenditure Program submitted to Congress," he added.

According to Andaya, the P325-million allocation for Casiguran was intended for flood-control projects, which included the Himaoyon Flood Control (P75 million), Lungib Seawall and Embankment (P80 million), Somal-ot Seawall and Embankment (P100 million), Cagpagol River Control (P45 million), and Suji River Control (P25 million).

Affinity?

Andaya pointed out that Diokno's affinity to the mayor of Casiguran, Sorsogon could have been the reason such allocation was given to the town.

"During the congressional Question Hour,  Diokno admitted affinity with the mayor of Casiguran, Edwin Hamor. We later learned that Edwin is married to Ester Hamor, the incumbent Vice Governor of Sorsogon. Ester is the mother of Jojo Sicat, the husband of Sec. Diokno's daughter Charlotte," Andaya said.

"Aminin man ni Secretary Diokno o hindi, balae niya si Edwin at Ester Hamor. Biyenan ito ng anak niya," he added.

At the same time, Andaya said Edwin is seeking reelection in Casiguran, Sorsogon in the 2019 elections, while Ester is running as mayor of Sorsogon City.

"This recent discovery of P325-million allocation for new projects in Casiguran for 2019 raises a red flag as pieces of evidence already uncovered point to Secretary Diokno's in-laws as the real beneficiaries of infrastructure projects in Sorsogon," Andaya said.

Joint ventures

Andaya also said that Edwin admitted in a television interview that his children entered into a joint venture with CT Leoncio Construction and Trading, which alleged bagged billions of pesos in contracts for infrastructure projects in Sorsogon.

He said that documents that are now with the House Committee on Rules show that Maria Minez Hamor, daughter of Edwin and Ester, owns Aremar Construction Corp., which they found out to be a partner of CT Leoncio.

At least four joint ventures have been agreed to between Aremar and CT Leoncio in Sorsogon, Andaya said.

These include the P49-million highway improvement for Aruman-Casiguran Road, the P96-million construction of Barcilona-Casiguran diversion road, the P115-million tourism road leading to Bulusan National Park, and the P289-million Daang Maharlika Section in the first district of Sorsogon --- all of which cost P550 million.

"We are not surprised that the P325-million new projects for Casiguran turn out to be flood-mitigating projects. These are the pet projects of Secretary Diokno, whose new advocacy is climate change," Andaya said.

"That is why we will quiz the DPWH on the sudden surge of billion-peso allocations for flood-mitigation projects. Mukhang dito itinatago ang mga 'parked funds' na gagamitin sa eleksyon," he added.

In an earlier statement, Andaya said the DBM increased the allocation for flood-control projects in 2018 by almost P54 billion even as areas in the region continuously experience massive flooding.

Moreover, in the 2019 national budget, Andaya said that P114.4 billion out of the P544.5-billion budget allocated for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are for flood-control projects --- a 24-percent increase from its allocation under the 2018 budget.

"We want to ask them how much of these were allocated to Casiguran and other parts of Sorsogon," Andaya said.

With all these discoveries, Andaya is hoping that Diokno would still consider attending House inquiries related to the National Expenditure Program, even if the latter has been prevented to attend it.

"We hope Secretary Diokno will reconsider his decision not to appear in the hearings to be conducted by the House Rules Committee on the questionable allocations by the DBM in the national budget. He has a lot of explaining to do," Andaya said.

Diokno has earlier denied the allegations being thrown against him.

"In the matters of that state I have no relatives, I have no friends... I'm very objective, unbiased. I don't talk business with anybody except the line departments," he said.

The House rules panel will hold its first hearing on the controversy on January 3 in Naga City.  —LDF, GMA News