Engineer admits requesting P385-M flood control funds for Casiguran, Sorsogon

The district engineer of the 1st District of Sorsogon on Thursday admitted that they requested P385 million for flood control projects in Casiguran, Sorsogon that Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno allegedly inserted into the 2019 national budget.

Ignacio Odiaman made the admission during the House Committee on Rules inquiry into the matter.

During the hearing held in Naga City, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Rodante Marcoleta asked Odiaman to categorically state whether he requested the amount, which Majority Leader Rolando Andaya claimed Diokno inserted.

"Yes, sir," Odiaman said. "Nasa NEP [National Expenditure Program] 'yun."

He added that the funds would be used "starting 2016 to 2019."

Odiaman said he based the request for funds on the landscape of a part of Casiguran near a river.

“Ito kasing section ng Casiguran, bukana ng river then reclamation, so it consists of river control at the same time seawall,” he said.

Andaya has criticized the Department of Budget and Management for allegedly inserting P385 million in funds for flood-control projects in Casiguran, Sorsogon under the 2019 budget, even though the town is supposedly not vulnerable to flooding.

The flood control projects under this funding, Andaya said, include the Himaoyon Flood Control (P75 million), the Lungib Seawall and Embankment (P80 million), the Somal-ot Seawall and Embankment (P100 million), the Cagpagol River Control (P45 million), the Suji River Control (P25 million), and the construction of the Poblacion Drainage System (P60 million).

Nearby Matnog town, which suffered heavy flooding during the onslaught of Tropical Depression Usman, received zero allocation for flood control projects.

Casiguran's mayor, Edwin Hamor, is the husband of the mother of Diokno's son-in-law. He is running for reelection.

This led Andaya to believe that it is in these flood control projects where the "parked funds" to be used for the 2019 elections are hidden.

Diokno, however, has already denied the allegations being thrown against him.

"In the matters of that state I have no relatives, I have no friends... I'm very objective, unbiased. I don't talk business with anybody except the line departments," Diokno said. — BM, GMA News