Nag-aalala umano si House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin sa posibleng conflict of interest sa pag-iimbestiga sa budget ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at sa mga umano’y maanomalyang flood control projects sa bansa.
Ibinahagi ito ni Rep. Garin sa Joint Committee ng Public Accounts, Public Works and Highways, at ng Good Government and Public Accountability na ginanap nitong Martes, Setyembre 2.
Ayon sa kaniya, napanood niya umano ang balita ukol sa 67 na mga kongresista na idinawit ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson sa mga politikong may koneksyon sa isyu ng flood control, ngunit anito, hindi raw siya makakapagbigay ng mga pangalan.
“Mr. Chairman, with due respect to the honorable Chel Diokno, and of course, Sec. Leila De Lima, and my very good friend, Sid Ungab. Yes indeed, I saw the news report when Sen. Ping Lacson mentioned that there are approximately 67 congressmen and more who are involved in projects. However, Mr. Chair, in the subsequent interviews that he gave, he mentioned that he cannot give names because it was one of the members of Congress who fed this information,” aniya.
“I am not objecting to an investigation to uncover the 67 congressmen if ever they exist. However, Mr. Chair, what I am worried [about] is the fact that the oversight powers of Congress will be…in the…of conflict of interest,” dagdag pa niya.
Sa tuwing titingnan niya rin daw umano ang budget ng DPWH, nagugulat siya.
“Kung titingnan natin ang budget ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), nagugulat ako. Kasi tila may pumasok sa NEP na mukhang di naman dumaan galing sa baba. There is a big possibility that the needed projects are changed to wanted projects,” ani Garin.
“Ang want ay gusto, pero walang benepisyo sa taumbayan, ang need ay kailangan. The current budget deliberations and the oversight powers of Congress it's time for us to uncover the process and the system, bakit ba paulit-ulit ito na nangyayari?,” dagdag pa niya.
Aniya, hayaan daw na magpatuloy ang imbestigasyon upang mabago at maitama ang sistema.
“Let the investigation proceed, let the third-party investigation proceed, to uncover the people behind this. But let us not forget that we cannot just sit and be taken out, that we are the voice of our people, and we need to correct the system,” aniya.
Matatandaang patuloy na isinasagawa ang imbestigasyon sa peke umano at maanomalyang flood control projects.
KAUGNAY NA BALITA: Sen. Erwin, suportado rin pagkakaroon ng 'independent body' sa flood control probe-Balita
Vincent Gutierrez/BALITA
