Allowances for solons a common practice, Estrada says

Now they are called "allowances."

President Estrada said yesterday it was "common practice" for House leaderships in the past to hand out money to congressmen whenever they go on a long recess.

"Dahil ang mga congressmen ay may kanya-kanyang opisina at distrito, at kapag bakasyon, pag-uwi nila sa kanilang mga probinsiya at distrito, iyon ang gagamitin sa kanilang mga tauhan (That's because congressmen have their own offices and districts. When they go home during recess, they use that for their constituents.) So, in the form of allowances, iyon daw ang common practice," Mr. Estrada said in his weekly radio program "Itawag Mo Kay Erap."

Mr. Estrada said he got his information from Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara, who is a former Senate president.

The President was reacting to earlier statements by Cebu congressmen, sectoral Rep. Joy Augustus Young and Rep. Simeon Kintanar, that Speaker Manuel Villar gives money to House members whenever they go on a long recess. They declined to say how much.

Young called the handout "bonuses," while Kintanar called it "gratuities."

Young and Kintanar were reacting to allegations that congressmen each received a P500,000 bribe for the speedy passage of the power reform bill, House Bill 8457. They denied receiving bribes, but admitted receiving money from Villar in the past.

Sanlakas party-list Rep. Renato Magtubo, who, along with Akabayan party-list Rep. Loreta Ann Rosales, broke the power reform bill bribery scandal last week, said yesterday he had received money from Villar before, but called it something else.

"It was, to me, certainly a bribe or a payoff, not a bonus. Why, the largest bonus I received was in December 1998. It was a P200,000 check. This bribe was in cold cash," Magtubo said.

In his radio program, the President also dismissed allegations that Malacañang had a hand in the alleged bribery at the House of Representatives to speed up the passage of the power reform bill.

Mr. Estrada took strong exception to Sen. Sergio Osmeña III's speculation that the money came from Malacañang because only the government had that much money.

A total of at least P120 million was reportedly distributed to congressmen in exchange for House Bill 8457's swift passage.

Mr. Estrada said he respects Congress' independence, being a branch of government co-equal with the Executive.

"Mahirap magsalita diyan sapagkat may separation of powers iyong Executive at saka Kongreso (It's difficult to talk about that because there is a separation of powers between the Executive and Congress)," Mr. Estrada pointed out.

"Mahirap makialam tayo diyan... Internal problem iyan ng Congress. Kaya sila siguro dapat maglagay sa ayos niyan. Meron silang ethics committee. Nasa kanilang kapangyarihan iyan (We cannot interfere in the scandal. It is an internal problem of Congress. They are the ones who should fix it. They have an ethics committee. It's their jurisdiction)," the Chief Executive added.

Villar, angered by allegations that the House leadership was probably involved, said in a statement yesterday that they would "not resort to or initiate anything that will undermine the institution's credibility."

"The sooner they get to the bottom of these allegations the better, as it is not doing anyone any good," he said. "We put in a lot of hard work to pass this important measure that will benefit Filipinos and I feel bad that all this is being impaired by unjust accusations."

Magtubo claimed the money was coursed through Villar's office. Villar has already asked a fact-finding committee headed by Majority Leader Eduardo Gullas to conduct a probe.

Ironically, the niece of Magtubo's boss, Rep. Krisel Lagman-Luistro, denied last Tuesday that there was a payoff, earning the ire of the organization she represents.

Luistro, who is Sanlakas vice president for Luzon, is a niece of Sanlakas leader and alleged communist hit man-turned-labor leader Filemon Lagman.

"So what if Rep. Luistro denied any knowledge of the payola? She must answer to her conscience," Magtubo and Fr. Max Abalos, another Sanlakas leader, said.

Abalos said Luistro's voting in favor of the bill "means that she is not with Sanlakas."

"Rep. Luistro is an inactive member of Sanlakas and was absent when the national executive committee [of Sanlakas] deliberated on the organization's stand on the Omnibus Power Bill," he said.

Before the news conference, Magtubo told reporters that he would move for Luistro's expulsion from Sanlakas "for not supporting the party line." Luistro could not be reached for comment.

One administration congressman who refused to be identified said Luistro, a daughter of former Rep. Edcel Lagman, does not deserve the "unfair and shabby treatment she got from her leaders."

"Poor Krisel. She was just telling the truth. Now her elders in Sanlakas are ganging up on her," the congressman said. -- With Efren Danao, Jess Diaz