Senate-House probe into gov't ODA projects pushed

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño on Thursday filed House Resolution 485 to push for an investigation into all government projects funded by the Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the convening of the dormant Congressional Oversight Committee on ODA. Casiño said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s suspension of 11 ODA projects worth P104.34 billion is highly suspect and could be part of moves to cover up multi-billion anomalies like the National Broadband Network-ZTE Corp deal. “After the exposé on the Cyber Education Project and the National Broadband Network, here comes a presidential pre-emptive move without any investigation into each and every project," Casiño said. During the Procurement Transparency Group meeting at Malacañang Tuesday, Mrs Arroyo put on hold 11 infrastructure projects financed through ODA. “We are putting on hold all ODA loans, which are not yet finalized... We can do these (projects) without borrowing," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye quoted the President as saying during the meeting. Casiño said that under RA 8555 or the Official Development Assistance Act of 1996, “the executive must identify causes of delays, reasons for bottlenecks, actual and prospective cost overruns, viability and report to Congress not later than June 30 of each year." The ODA-funded projects that were suspended include: New Communications, Navigation, Surveillance, and Air Traffic Management Systems Development Project (P2.64 billion); Regionalization of Mental Health Services (P1.32 billion); Redevelopment of Tacloban Airport (Trunkline) Development Project (P1.12 billion); Construction of Elementary and Secondary Classrooms in Acute Shortage (P45.67 million); Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 extension ($683 million); Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 extension (P10.33 billion); Bataan Manila Pipeline Project ($180 million); LRT Line 1 North Extension (P5.98 billion); the Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct Improvement Project (P5.75 billion); Mainline South Railway Project (P15.30 billion) and the Cyber Education Project (P26.48 billion). “This administration has not been transparent in all ODA projects. I urge Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier and Senator Chiz Escudero to immediately convene the COCODA and investigate all these projects to find irregularities and the possible involvement of high officials in the Palace," Casiño said. - GMANews.TV