No funds coursed thru Reghis Romero II - DBM

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) denied on Thursday allegations that it channeled through businessman Reghis Romero II's account funds handed out to congressmen and governors in Malacañang on October 11. Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr told radio dzMM that his department does not have the power to deposit money in the account of an individual person. "We checked yesterday (Wednesday) and found no release. The DBM does not have a system allowing for direct payment in the account of an individual person," Andaya said in Filipino. In the same radio interview, Andaya said his department "services government offices only and not private individuals." During a Senate hearing Wednesday, opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson said that the DBM released P500 million through the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to be credited to the account of Romero. Romero, chairman of the Board of R-II Builders, Inc., reportedly has a P3-billion "collectible" from the government. The businessman has denied Lacson's allegation. For his part, HLURB Commissioner Romulo Fabul also belied Lacson's claims and said the agency has not received money of that amount or processed any document relating to the alleged transaction. "Wala kaming amount na nakuha na ganun o papeles man lang na dumaan dito sa office namin," Fabul told dzMM in an earlier interview. As for the money that the government reportedly owes Romero, Andaya said he has yet to check if a payment has already been made. "I-chechek ko lang ho kung may naibayad na kami o pumirma ang gobyerno," he said. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV