Diokno to snub House probe into alleged irregularities in 2019 budget

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Monday said he has been advised by the Executive Department not to attend the House probe into alleged irregularities in the proposed 2019 budget .

In an interview on GMA News’ “News to Go” on Monday, did not name who specifically advised him other than saying it was the Executive Department.

“Inadvise ako ng Executive Department na ‘wag mag-ano (mag-attend), dahil nga doon sa masamang experience namin nung question hour,” the Cabinet official replied when asked if he would be attending next’s  week’s hearings.

“But we’re willing to respond in writing ... We’re willing to do that,” he said.

During the Question Hour, he was grilled by members of the House of Representatives regarding the supposed budget anomalies.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. claimed Diokno’s relatives received millions of pesos of anomalous government contracts.

In an earlier hearing, Andaya presented an P11-million deposit slip that he claimed proved a payout by the government in favor of Aremar Construction Corp. He also claimed that Aremar's joint venture partner CT Leoncio Construction was simply a front receiving commission fees from government projects.

Aremar Construction is owned by Maria Minez Hamor, daughter of Edwin and Ester Hamor, according to Andaya. Edwin is running for reelection as mayor of Casiguran in Sorsogon. Edwin’s son Jojo Sicat, is married to Diokno’s daughter Charlotte.

Diokno has since clarified that the DBM is not involved in awarding contracts for government projects.

“Unang una, wala kaming kinalaman sa mga specific projects na i-implement ng mga specific agencies. Ang papel lang namin is to set the ceiling, total budget ceiling,” he said Monday.

According to Diokno, the DBM only set a budget ceiling of P555 billion for the DPWH for 2019, but the specifics were set by the agency itself.

“How they allocate that by region, by province, by district, by nature of the construction ... Hindi namin pinapakialaman ‘yun. Nasa kanila na ‘yun kung san nila ilalagay ‘yun,” he said.

In a separate interview also on GMA News’ “News to Go,” Andaya said the House is scheduled to hold more hearings on the matter as it scrutinizes the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on a national scale.

“Darating po tayo sa punto na ‘yan ... Kasi nagsimula po kami sa baba—engineering district office—susunod po sa regional office, ngayon naman sa national office,” he said.

Andaya over the weekend said three more DPWH officials will be summoned during the next hearing, while DPWH Secretary Mark Villar may be called during the succeeding hearings.

Andaya also claimed earlier that Diokno and his relatives will be given the liberty to explain and clarify the issues linking them to the supposed flood control scam. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News