Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
August 27, 2002
"Talangka (crab) mentality of the opposition (specifically
Sen. Angara) will paralyze the working Senate"
Sen. Revilla welcomes probe by Ethics Committee regarding Pajero
issue
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"It's a desperate move and talangka mentality behind these
charges against me."
Thus said by fuming Senator Ramon Revilla who said that he is
already expecting black propaganda against him because of what he
did to resolve the Senate impasse.
Revilla said the people's voice should be heard and no less than
the latest survey revealed that the people are clamoring for a
working a Senate.
Revilla was referring to Senator Edgardo Angara who he said
expressed unusual eagerness or interest to pin him down
specifically on alleged DPWH scam.
"Understandable siguro ito at inaasahan ko na rin ang
matinding batikos dahil ako ang dahilan kung bakit umandar muli
ang senado gayundin ang biglaang paglipat ni Sen. Robert Jaworski
sa kampo ng administrasyon." Revilla was quoted as saying.
Sen. Revilla who chairs the Senate Public Works Committee which
is presently inquiring into the P150 million vehicle repair
anomaly within the DPWH (Dept. of Public Works and Highways)
described as 'clumsy' the move by some quarters to taint his
integrity by insinuating that the issuance of a white Mitsubishi
Pajero to his office by the DPWH eight years ago was
inappropriate.
He also welcomes any probe by the Senate ethics committee into
the issue.
"The gossip that they are spreading is that this Pajero is
involved in the repair scam, this is entirely false as records in
the DPWH will show that the vehicle is neither missing nor
included in the list of vehicles involved in the anomalous
repairs.
Earlier , Sen. Angara urged the immediate investigation of
Revilla saying "it is the duty and responsibility" of
the Senate committee on ethics to motu propio (on its own) order
an investigation of Revilla's possession of a Mitsubishi Pajero
that was earlier reported missing by the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Opposition leader implored Senate committee on ethics chair
Francis Pangilinan not to wait for a formal complaint because it
was a fact on record that Revilla admitted the vehicle was with
him.
Revilla chairs the Senate committee on public works, which is
currently investigating the P139-million vehicle repair scam at
the DPWH.
Pangilinan acknowledged that his committee could initiate a probe
without a formal complaint. But, he said, "If we are to
believe news reports, there is one forthcoming and so we are
waiting."
Should no such complaint be filed, Pangilinan said, "That's
when the committee would start looking into the news reports.
But Revilla laughed off Angara's move to investigate him on the
alleged scam.
"Magkakapahiyaan lang kami dahil sigurado ako sa na legal
lahat ng kilos ko at walang anomalya na pilit nilang idinadawit
sa pangalan ko." Revilla told Angara.
According to Revilla, even DPWH Secretary Simeon Datumanon
justified the lending of the vehicle to his office in his
capacity as chairman of the public works committee.
"Sec. Datumanong also said that this vehicle (with license
plate PGP 586) has nothing to do with the ghost repair scam that
my committee is investigating," Revilla said.
The Pajero, which Sen. Revilla pictured as 'quite old', was
issued to help him conduct his inspections of farm-to-market
roads, national and provincial roads, engineering districts,
foreign funded and other government infrastructure projects.
These inspections aided him in crafting Republic Act 8150 also
known as the Public Works and Highways Infrastructure Program Act
of 1995.
"But not once did I charge any repairs of the Pajero to the
DPWH, I took care of all the expenses for its maintenance. It
even looks better now," added Revilla.
This law penned by Revilla and signed by then President Fidel V.
Ramos in 1995, programmed and specified vital infrastructure
projects were deemed vital in supporting the movement of goods
and services in and out of the country. Such movement is a
necessary prerequisite for the nation to become a newly
industrialized economy.
However, due to the shock waves of the Asian financial crisis
which radiated throughout the region in 1996, Revilla's
infrastructure program was not fully funded leaving it only 65%
complete until the law lapsed in 1999. A second version was
passed on third reading by the Senate before the May 2001
elections but failed to complete the legislative mill in the
House of Representatives.
The Senator said that 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
malfeasance."///Camille p. balagtas