Lacson says Marcoleta had P500 million ‘allocables’

MANILA, Philippines —  As the Senate Blue Ribbon committee prepares to resume its investigation on the flood control scandal, one of its former chairmen – Sen. Rodante Marcoleta – has been accused of being a recipient of P500 million worth of infrastructure projects through the controversial “allocables” system – at least based on handwritten notes from the late public works undersecretary Catalina Cabral.

This was according to Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, who revealed at the Kapihan sa Senado that he first heard reports about “bukulan” involving Marcoleta from several congressmen during a Commission on Appointments hearing on the confirmation of then Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Manuel Bonoan.Marcoleta chaired the CA’s public works committee at the time.

While the practice of requesting “allocables” is not inherently illegal, Lacson maintained that it is improper for legislators to do so. Asked if he would recommend an investigation of Marcoleta, Lacson said not at this time.

However, he stressed that the issue crosses into criminal territory if the requested projects turn out to be substandard or “ghost projects.”

“If there are ghost or substandard projects attributed to him,” Lacson, who chairs the Blue Ribbon committee, said when asked if the opposition senator would be investigated.

Lacson bared the same thing in March, saying the CA hearing on Bonoan’s appointment was used allegedly to insert P500 million in flood control projects that may have been lost to corruption.

“There was a handwritten note from Usec Cabral allowing allocation based on request for allocable. There was allocation of P500-million projects for Senator Marcoleta,” he said in Filipino, while admitting that such piece of evidence is not yet in the possession of the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Actually, P1.5 billion was allegedly being requested, but only P500 million was granted,” Lacson recounted.

He said the committee now intends to scrutinize letters of requests for allocables from different lawmakers to the DPWH.

The committee will also verify additional flood control projects in the Visayas and Mindanao to see how widespread the corruption behind such projects is.

No lone mastermind

Based on the evidence gathered so far by the committee, Lacson believes there is no single mastermind pulling the strings in the massive flood control anomaly.

He pointed to the existence of distinct regional masterminds embedded in certain districts and agencies.

“I don’t think there’s an overall mastermind kasi nga driven by greed. Parasitic eh. Parang walang tigil,” Lacson said at the forum.

“There’s an organized group within a certain agency, certain district engineering office like in Bulacan,” he added.

Lacson argued that it is virtually impossible for one person to command all regional directors, noting that not even the DPWH chief wields that kind of absolute control.

He added that if other lawmakers possess concrete evidence pointing to a grand mastermind, they are welcome to submit it for verification by his office.

Lacson also said the Blue Ribbon panel remains open to hearing the defense of Senators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva to allow them to clear their names over their alleged involvement in the massive flood control scam.

Lacson assured the three lawmakers that they still have the opportunity to explain their side regarding the anomalies.

In a privilege speech delivered to the plenary on Tuesday, Lacson presented his draft partial committee report, which recommended the three senators for preliminary investigation, fact-finding or case build-up for possible plunder, graft and other related charges.

However, Lacson clarified yesterday that the recommendation is not absolute.

“Of course, of course. If they had signed (the committee report), that’s their platform to defend themselves. During interpellation, they can say ‘that’s not true’ so we can strike it off the record of the committee report or the partial committee report,” he said.