House leader, ex-solon trade barbs over infra projects, alleged illegal gambling

Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur and former congressman Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental have exchanged accusations over huge allocation for infrastructure projects favoring the House leader.

Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr., on Thursday's budget briefing of the Department of Public Works and Highways, questioned the huge infrastructure allocations for Villafuerte's province, Camarines Sur, and Taguig City, the congressional district of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Responding through a statement, Villafuerte accused Benitez and Teves of having ties to illegal gambling.

“Rather than act like sanctimonious moralists in waxing eloquent about public accountability and good governance, former congressman Benitez and his flunky, Rep. Teves, should explain to the public their suspected ties to Sabong International,” Villafuerte said.

"Benitez and Teves should explain to the public whether they are indeed connected to Sabong International, rather than resorting to squid tactics by raising a phony issue against me in  a desperate bid to camouflage the fact that they have been in cahoots with the Velasco bloc to mess up the House leadership's commitment to fast-track the chamber's approval of the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Act,” Villafuerte added.

Velasco is Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, who is expected to replace Cayetano as speaker in October —a House leadership sharing deal brokered by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.

Benitez, who served in the 17th Congress, denied Villafuerte's accusations and questioned the P420 million allocation that the national government earmarked for the construction of the Camarines Sur provincial capitol in 2020.

“My challenge to LRay Villafuerte. Put your money where your mouth is," he said in a statement.

"You accuse Congressman Teves of making accusations based on hearsay but what you are doing is worse. Totally baseless and a figment of your overacting and defensive imagination. If you have nothing to hide, explain to the Filipino people why the national government has to shoulder the construction of your provincial capitol that costs more then P420 million,” Benitez said.

“Sa panahon ng COVID-19 when resources are scarce and people are struggling to survive, it is only right that we demand answers to legitimate questions. If the good Congressman is morally certain that his budget will pass the public’s scrutiny, then prove us wrong. Be transparent and account for every peso and centavo in your district,” he added.

Villafuerte said the P420 million worth of Camarines Sur provincial capitol was a request by the local government since 2017, which was finally granted this year.

He also reasoned the building was due for rehabilitation.

“Because the old building had been condemned by both the provincial engineer's office and a private engineering firm hired to assess the almost 50-year-old structure, the officials and employees of the Provincial Capitol all had to move out and work in temporary or makeshift offices nearby,” Villafuerte said.

"Benitez's apparent lack of vision and dedication to spearhead the construction of an iconic building in his home province  of Negros Occidental should not deter us from building a magnificent yet functional edifice in our province that not only CamSur folk but all other Filipinos as well would be proud of," Villafuerte added.

During the DPWH budget briefing, Teves asked Secretary Mark Villar if it was true that Camarines Sur and Taguig City had infrastructure allocation of P11.8 billion and P8 billion, respectively, under the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.

Villar said he did not have the details that time.

GMA News Online has also reached out to Velasco for comment on Villafuerte's claims, but he has yet to reply.—LDF, GMA News