MANILA, Philippines —At least P550 million worth of infrastructure projects in Sorsogon were identified as joint ventures between Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s in-laws and a “favored” contractor, Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. bared on Saturday.
Andaya said obtained documents showed that a daughter of Edwin Hamor, who is the father of Diokno’s son-in-law owns Aremar Construction, which had allegedly entered into joint ventures with alleged Palace favored contractor, CT Leoncio Construction and Trading.
“Documents obtained by the House panel showed that a daughter of the Hamors, Maria Minez Hamor, owns Aremar Construction Corp. Inamin na ito ni Mayor Hamor. Sabi niya baka kakilala ng anak niya ang CT Leoncio. Pero hindi lang pala kilala ng anak niya, ka-partner pa sa ilang proyekto,” he said in a statement.
Andaya said the projects include the P49 million highway improvement for Aruman-Casiguran Road, P96 million construction of the Barcelona-Casiguran diversion road, P115-million tourism road leading to the Bulusan National Park, and the P289 million Daang Maharlika Section in the 1st District of Sorsogon.
Andaya also revealed that Hamor, who is the mayor of Casiguran, Sorsogon also admitted in a television interview that his children own the construction company that had entered into a joint venture with CT Leoncio Construction and Trading.
Andaya added that the projects are part of the P10 billion worth of funds in the 2018 national budget as allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
“Apparently, they only not know but have entered into a joint venture with the said company, which cornered a chunk of the P10 billion allocated by the DBM for Sorsogon in the 2018 national budget,” the congressman said.
Edwin is the father of Jojo Sicat, the husband of Diokno’s daughter.
Andaya said this proves the claim of Minority Leader Danilo Suarez during the question hour that Diokno was indeed behind the “insertions” of some P75 billion in infrastructure projects.
Last Dec. 13, the House committee on rules said that an inquiry will be held in January next year to Diokno’s “favored contractor,” and the “budget anomalies and questionable allocations” by DBM.
Earlier, Diokno, in a speech before his staff, said President Rodrigo Duterte fully supports him amid the controversy surrounding the budget approval process.
As a show of support for him, Diokno said the President is not calling for a special session to give lawmakers more time to deliberate on the proposed 2019 national budget.
He also said the President stopped fund releases for road board projects. Diokno has previously asserted the Road Board has been a “cash cow” of lawmakers who allegedly joined forces against him.
For Sorsogon Rep. Deogracias Ramos and Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, they believed they have just been inconsequential victims of a tiff between warring political rivals in the Bicol Region. /muf
Read more: House to probe ‘Diokno-favored’ contractor, budget anomalies in January