Senate to probe Drilon over Iloilo ‘overprice’

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will conduct an investigation on the reported overpricing of the P700-million Iloilo Convention Center (ICC), committee chairman Sen. Teofisto Guingona III said yesterday.

Guingona said the investigation was in view of the resolution filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, which called for an inquiry into the various infrastructure projects cornered by Hilmarc’s Construction Corp. with various local government units.

Santiago, who filed the resolution last September, noted that Hilmarc’s was also responsible for the alleged overpriced parking building in Makati City.

“The Blue Ribbon committee shall commence the investigation as soon as initial preparations have been completed,” Guingona said.

The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) also called for an inquiry of the ICC.

VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez lamented the reported reservations by some senators allied with the administration to investigate Senate President Franklin Drilon’s alleged involvement in the overpricing allegations.

Part of Drilon’s P200-million Priority Development Assistance Fund in 2012 and P100-million Disbursement Acceleration Program allocation last year reportedly funded the ICC.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada earlier said the circumstances surrounding the allegations against Drilon and Vice President Jejomar Binay were quite similar as both face plunder charges involving overpriced projects.

Meanwhile, political analyst Ramon Casiple has criticized the ongoing probe of a subcommittee of the Blue Ribbon on allegations against Binay, saying it has become a “circus.”

Casiple said the probe has branched out to other issues, including the alleged undeclared properties of Binay, when its original intention was to investigate the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2.

He believes that after 10 hearings on the issue, the panel has not yet produced concrete evidence that would support their allegation against Binay. – With Edu Punay