Solon welcomes probe on use of DPWH vehicle

Sen. Ramon Revilla welcomed yesterday any probe by the Senate committee on ethics on his use of a Mitsubishi Pajero issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways, even as he denied there was anything inappropriate in his use of the car.

Revilla, chairman of the Senate committee on public works that is inquiring into the P150-million ghost repair of vehicles at the DPWH, described as "clumsy" the attempt by some quarters to taint his integrity over the Pajero issue.

"No amount of black propaganda can deter my committee from probing deeper into these anomalous transactions. Those liable must be made to answer for their misdeeds," Revilla said.

He pointed out that contrary to insinuations, the Pajero issued to him was not involved in the repair scam that his committee was investigating, as attested to by DPWH Secretary Simeon Datumanong.

He said that the "old" Pajero was issued to him to help him conduct his inspections of farm-to-market roads, national and provincial roads, engineering districts, foreign funded and other government infrastructure projects.

He said that these inspections helped him craft the Public Works Act of 1995.

"Not once did I charge any repairs of the Pajero to the DPWH. I took care of all the expenses for its maintenance, body repair, repainting, engine overhaul and gasoline," he stressed.

A special team created by Datumanong has uncovered 7,000 "ghost" transactions involving 521 vehicles.

All of the transactions involved amounts of not more P25,000 each, thus putting them within the jurisdiction of the assistant director of the DPWH Bureau of Equipment.

Datumanong said that Undersecretaries Mabini Pablo and Edmundo Mir had no hand at all in the scam, saying their responsibilities did not include signing, endorsing or approving requests for emergency purchase or repair.

The review team said that in one instance, front and rear windshields of one vehicle were "replaced" three times in two months, while the fuel injection pump of one vehicle were replaced three times in six months.

In all instances, the user of the vehicle was not aware that his vehicle was being "repaired," or that spare parts were supposed to have been purchased.

Testimonies before the Revilla committee indicated that not once was the end-user identified as the one requesting for the repair of the vehicle or for the emergency purchase of parts and equipment.

"The vehicle is running while it is being ‘repaired,’" Datumanong said. – Efren Danao