MANILA, Philippines -- Senate President Manny Villar was into ?half-truths? when he admitted asking for more funds for the C-5 road project, opposition Senator Panfilo ?Ping? Lacson said on Thursday.
?He's not yet telling us the whole truth,? Lacson said in a text message.
?We all know that every insertion and/or amendment in the budget must be in specific amount. You can?t ask for additional funding for a project and leave it to the finance committee chairman to decide on how much to add,? he said.
Villar admitted Tuesday that he requested for additional funding for the C-5 road extension project in Parańaque City but clarified that he did not ask for a specific amount.
From P200 million, the budget for the project this year was doubled.
?He's [Villar] into half-truths after lying completely in his first round with media,? Lacson said.
?After his half-admission on the double entry, he must now confront the second question I raised in my privilege speech. Does he or doesn?t he have business and financial interests that might have benefitted from the project?? he asked.
If Villar had benefitted from the project, Lacson said the issue would now shift to ethics and conflict of interest in accordance with Article 6, Section 14 of the Constitution.
At this point, however, the opposition senator said it was premature to talk about filing a case before the ethics committee at the Senate.
Villar had repeatedly said that while he was advocating the project, he did not receive a single cent from it.
But the Senate President could still explain himself since a resolution seeking an investigation into the controversy had been referred to the committees on finance, and public works and highways.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis ?Kiko? Pangilinan said Villar might be invited to attend the proceeding.
On Senator Joker Arroyo?s objection to have the matter investigated by the Senate, Lacson said the former might also have an insertion for his province in Bicol.
?Baka meron siya sa Bicol kaya [He might have something in Bicol that?s why] he is opposing the investigation,? he said.
