Baguilat welcomes probe into alleged corruption in Ifugao infra projects
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao) on Tuesday lauded the move of Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission's moves to "put a stop to corruption in the bidding for public infrastructure projects."
The statement was prompted by a Tuesday afternoon press conference, where members of the commission played a video of Department of Public Works and Highway District Engineer Lorna Ricardo allegedly asking for P10 million as "payment/reimbursement fee" from a bidder for an infrastructure project in Ifugao province worth P100 million.
PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica said Ricardo had allegedly demanded one percent of the 10-percent mobilzation fund as "standard procedure" for the DPWH Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Ifugao District. He also said Ricardo allegedly asked for a five-percent take on every standard billing.
Baguilat, an opposition lawmaker, said that the budget for infrastructure projects in his district in 2018 was "slashed to zero" because of his stance on issues that contradicted the president's position.
"I was therefore surprised — pleasantly at the time — to find out that P100 million was somehow inserted into the infrastructure budget of Ifugao without any intervention from my office," he said.
READ: Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission created
“I hope an investigation into this alleged act of corruption will also look into getting funds to where they are actually needed, and not to projects that possibly result in kickbacks,” Baguilat added.
The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission was created in 2017 through Executive Order No. 43 look into excessive lifestyles, graft and corruption activities, and then recommend punishment against erring officials that would range from suspension to removal from office.
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