Lacson: Villar may have implicated self in P200-M road mess

MANILA, Philippines - By protesting too violently, Senate president Manuel Villar Jr may have implicated himself in the P200-million "road to nowhere" mess, opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Monday. In his privilege speech at the Senate, Lacson said that while he has not directly named Villar as the one who made a P200-million "congressional insertion" for the road project, the trail eventually followed led to the Senate President. "'Excusatio non petita accusatio manifesta.' An excuse that has not been sought is an obvious accusation. Sa simpleng Ingles (In simple English), he who excuses himself, accuses himself. Sa sarili nating wika, ang unang pumiyok, siyang nangitlog (In Filipino, the first one to squawk is the one that laid the egg)," Lacson said. "I simply followed the narrow trail and it led me to you, Mr. Senate President. No political motive whatsoever, walang kinalaman sa iyong pagtakbo sa 2010 (nothing to do with your bid for 2010), nor with your Senate presidency," he added. Lacson also called for an immediate investigation into the matter, adding the one responsible for the double entry should "stand by the side and spare this institution from the shame and disgust of our constituents – the Filipino people." He said the investigation should focus on two points: * Who among the senators proposed the insertion of a P200M redundant appropriation for the C5 Road Extension from SLEX to Sucat in Paranaque City?; and * Who among the senators has personal and financial interests in the development of the extension of C5 Road, now renamed Carlos P. Garcia Ave from SLEX to Sucat Road in Parañaque City? "If we are able to get the truthful answers to these questions, then we can always face our people with our heads held up high," Lacson said. Lacson noted Villar called a press conference Sept. 9, a day after he questioned a P200-million double entry in the 2008 budget for a road between Sucat and the South Luzon Expressway. He noted that while the C-5 Extension and President Carlos P. Garcia Avenue Extension, the double entries used the two different names to make them appear as different projects. In reaction, Lacson said Villar accused some senators of insinuating that he pocketed public money in the construction of the C-5 Extension Road. "Nobody, even up to now, has accused him of pocketing part or the whole of that P200 million. In the first place, how could he pocket public money that has not been released, according to the Secretary of the DBM?" he said. He also questioned why Villar would that residents of Lacson's home province of Cavite might not be able to benefit from it if full funds will not be released after the double entry was exposed. "The Senate President, his voice raised for the most part of his press conference, made his own insinuation that he was linked to the mess because he announced early his intention to run for the country's highest office in 2010," he said. Lacson reiterated the issue is not about presidentiables, politics or about 2010, but is about corruption. "But why did the leader of this chamber react so violently to the discovery of the 'double-entry' in the budget book of 2008? Why did he conveniently accuse some of our colleagues of maligning him by insinuating that he 'pocketed public money?'" he said. "And, Mr. Senate President, do not act as if you are the victim in this whole exercise, because you are not. Huwag mong ipahatid sa mga mamamayang Pilipino na pulitika lamang ito (Do not make it appear this is politicking), because it is not. Do not tell us that you are all "Sipag at Tiyaga (Hard Work)" because you are not," he added. Lacson also took an apparent dig at Villar's slogan "Sipag at Tiyaga," saying it is wrong to insert items in the national budget for personal gain. "Sa madali at simpleng pananalita, huwag natin itong daanin sa SINGIT AT TAGA (In other words, let us not deal in insertions and profiteering)," he said. Lacson also said that with everything now unfair in the government under the present administration, the Senate is the only hope of the people for justice and fair play. But now, he said even the C-5 extension road is no longer spared from foul play. "Tanging ang Senado na lamang sana ang inaasahan ng ating mga kababayan upang ipagtanggol ang kanilang karapatan at bantayan ang mga maling gawain ng Malakanyang. Sana ay manatiling mataas ang pananaw sa atin ng mga api nating kababayan (Only the Senate is left to defend their rights and check Malacañang's abuses. I hope that despite this, we can still enjoy the people's trust)," he said. Meanwhile, Lacson took a swipe at Villar's "defenders," including Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Joker Arroyo, who downplayed the P200 million as "a molehill" and "loose change." Lacson also lambasted public works undersecretary Manuel Bonoan for trying to justify and explain that the first P200 million entry was for a flyover, and the second, for the road itself. "If we are to believe Mr. Bonoan's clarification, why did the budget not specifically describe each of the P200M entries as in the other appropriations for several projects in the same 2008 General Appropriations Act?" he said. He cited several projects with specifications in the budget, including: * Construction of the Quezon Eco-tourism Road, described as P190 million for Phase 1; and P91 million for Phase 2, for a total of P281 million. * The Quirino-Andaya Highway in Quezon/Camarines Sur/Camarines Norte, with an appropriation of P515 million. For the Quirino Highway (Quezon side) intermittent section, P164.8 million was allotted. For Andaya Highway Camarines Sur/Norte side, intermittent road, P350.2 million was allotted. * The Construction of Candelaria By-Pass Road in Quezon, including RROW, which was funded with P100 million, divided specifically into sections namely, Bukal Sur, Masin Sur, Pahinga Norte, Malabanban Sur, and Mangilag Sur, with P20 million each. * Even in Villar's turf Las Piñas City, MSR-Quirino, with P25 million in appropriations, had two specific items, namely the MSR-Quirino, Barangay Pulang Lupa I, from Las Piñas District Hospital towards Zapote-Alabang Junction, Phase I, which was allotted P15 million; and the MSR-Quirino, Barangay E. Aldana and Barangay Pulang Lupa I, from Plaza Quezon towards Las Piñas District Hospital Phase II, which was allotted P10 million. "I can go on and on, but what is clear is that the standard procedure is to identify specific stages of the project for funding, especially for the same infrastructure," he said. "I do not know where Mr. Bonoan is coming from, but his flyover tale simply won't fly," he added. - GMANews.TV