Belgica on Defensor's dare to name solons in DPWH mess: I don't want blind item, bulletin board

Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica said on Saturday he will not take the dare of House Committee on Public Accounts chairperson Mike Defensor for him to identify the congressmen who are allegedly involved in corrupt activities within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Tama ho ang sinasabi ni Congressman Defensor na hindi lahat ng mga congressman ay involved sa corruption. Pero hindi lahat malinis,” Belgica said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Saturday.

“As to the names, ganito po ‘yan... I don’t wanna do blind items or make a bulletin board or a noise board of our investigation. Dahil kung sasabihin ko kung sino ang aming iniimbestigahan, kung sino ang aming mga suspect bago pa sa inquiry, para kong sinabi sa huhulihin na, huhulihin na siya and that will compromise the investigation,” the PACC executive said.

Defensor on Friday urged the PACC to reveal the names of lawmakers allegedly involved in corrupt practices in the DPWH, adding that the commission should not make a “blanket accusation.”

"If there are really corrupt practices being done and they are saying congressmen or congresswomen are involved, then they should really point to whoever are involved. Ituro na talaga nila at magkaroon ng malalim na pag-aaral,” Defensor added.

Belgica in an earlier radio interview claimed that some congressmen are “bullying” district engineers, alleging conspiracy among lawmakers, contractors, and district engineers.

During the Laging Handa interview, however, Belgica noted that the PACC’s reports will be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte and to the appropriate agencies for the proper conduct of an investigation.

“Ang iniimbestigahan kasi namin ay DPWH pero hindi naman kami puwedeng magbulag-bulagan sa mga nakikita namin,” he said.

“In the course of our investigation, natanggap ng aming opisina. ‘Yung kapangyarihan nila to influence the choice of district engineers and to influence the choice of contractors compromises the whole system to corruption,” he said.

“Naa-assert nila kung sino ang dapat manalo... and that exposes the system to corruption,” he added.

Duterte himself admitted that there is corruption within the DPWH. Nonetheless, he still vouched for Public Works Secretary Mark Villar's integrity.

To address the issue, Belgica said the powers of the DPWH secretary should be expanded.

“Palakasin ang kapangyarihan ng DPWH secretary, na talagang siya lang at walang puwedeng makakapag-impluwensiya sa kanya sa pagpili ng district engineers,” he said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson spotted some uniform allocations for local infrastructure projects in 42 congressional districts under the proposed DPWH budget.

Lacson added that some believe the agency was late in submitting its budget proposal for 2021 because of "haggling" with some congressmen. —KG, GMA News