Alvarez says road user’s tax a source of corruption

Former House Speaker and incumbent Davao Del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez said the road user’s tax was being used as a source of corruption.

According to a report of Jam Sisante-Cayco on GMA News TV's News To Go on Tuesday, the motor vehicle user’s charge worth billions of pesos collected by the government should go to road projects.

But the said fund was being used by the Road Board as a source of corruption, Alvarez said.

He said that the Road Board has been offering projects to some representatives where they can have a share of kickbacks from a selected contractor.

“Kung sino 'yung gusto nilang bigyan na congressman, binibigyan nila. Depende 'yan kung anong usapan niyo sa Road Board,” Alvarez said.

“Minsan 'yung iba makakatanggap ng P500 million, 'yung iba mas maliit. Depende talaga sino 'yung malakas sa Road Board na 'yan,” he continued.

In the first six months of 2018, the fund from the motor vehicle user's charge collected by the Land Transportation Office reached P8 billion, while in 2017, it reached P14 billion.

Alvarez claimed that the Road Board once asked him for a list of projects before, when he was still the House speaker.

“Sinasabi ng Road Board bibigyan nga nila pero ang usapan dito 40 percent kanila. Sabi ko kalokohan 'yan… 'Di ko papayagan 'yan. Kaya sabi ko 'wag niyo na ko bigyan. Ayoko 'yan kung ganyan ang usapan,” he said.

The abolition of the Road Board was passed in the Senate and Congress under the leadership of Alvarez. It was also supported by Malacañang.

Under the term of the new House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, however, Congress allegedly took it back.

House Minority Leader Representative Danilo Suarez questioned Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno when the Cabinet official said that the Palace will not release the fund of the Road Board in 2019.

According to Alvarez, this is the reason why Suarez and other representatives called for the resignation of Diokno.

“Gusto nilang i-release ni Secretary Diokno 'yung pera diyan sa road user's tax. Eh ayaw nga ni Secretary Diokno dahil may instruction na si Presidente na i-abolish na 'yung Road Board na 'yan,” he said.

‘”Pag natanggal si Secretary Diokno, baka 'yung susunod, siguro gusto nila mag-gamble. Baka sakaling makumbinsi nila na i-release 'yung road user's fund,” Alvarez added.

Diokno on Tuesday said the accusation being hurled against him by some lawmakers may be a way to pressure him to release the P45 billion road user's tax that is controlled by the Road Board. Lawmakers recently linked him to government projects going to a "favored contractor".

Meanwhile Representative Rolanda Anday Jr said, “All these news na 'yun ang pinagmulan ng gulo is farthest from the truth. Hindi naman House leadership ang nagpa-abolish eh. Buong Kamara, unanimously. Kung present sana sila du'n, e 'di bumoto sana silang kontra. Nu'ng binawi, walang kumontra.”

"We haven't seen anything out of it. And it has become the source, from what I hear, I may be unfair here, but what I hear they're using it as retirement fund for some of our friends below," Senator Richard Gordon said.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said that the proposed abolition of the Road Board should be forwarded to Malacañang for the President to decide on it. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News