Evidence vs Aremar ‘has reached plunder point’ – Andaya

Camarines Sur, Philippines — Transaction receipts have shown the company owned by the in-laws of Budget Chief Benjamin Diokno had received up to P50 million from the “flood control scam,” and has reached “plunder point,” House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said Friday.

“We are now in possession of bank transaction receipts showing that Aremar Construction received more than P50 million as share in the flood control scam. With this development, the evidence against Aremar has reached the plunder point,” the Camarines Sur congressman said in a statement.

These transaction receipts include a deposit slip for P11 million that found its way to the Land Bank account of Aremar last October. This was presented during Thursday’s public hearing here.

The hearing conducted by the House rules committee in Naga City has also attracted more whistleblowers “willing to spill the beans on anomalous budget practices and allocations by the DBM,” according to Andaya.

He said several contractors in Bicol region voluntarily offered to provide solid evidence confirming their initial findings that contractors related to Diokno were being used as dummies to get multi-million government contracts.

READ: House probe tackles ‘flood-control scam’ in Bicol

Andaya: P10-B Sorsogon projects all went to Diokno in-laws’ firm, dummies

“With these pieces of evidence, we will ask the Bureau of Internal Revenue for official documents related to tax payments made by Aremar Construction and its incorporators. Titingnan natin kung nagma-match ba ang tax payments nila sa mga income na pumapasok sa bank accounts nila,” he added.

If the income will not reflect in their tax payments, Aremar could also be liable for tax evasion, Andaya pointed out.

“Sec. Diokno better advise his son-in-law, Romeo Sicat Jr., to get a good lawyer. As incorporator of Aremar, Jojo Sicat is duty-bound to ensure that their construction firm does not violate the laws of the land,” Andaya then warned.

Andaya has been claiming that several contractors are being used as fronts or dummies for Aremar Construction Corp., which is owned by Maria Minez Hamor, daughter of Casiguran Mayor Edward Hamor. Edward is the husband of Sorsogon Vice Gov. Ester Hamor, mother of Diokno’s son-in-law, Romeo Sicat Jr.

READ: Andaya: Contractors are being used as fronts for Aremar | Diokno in-laws’ firm got P551-M projects

Andaya has also been accusing Diokno of orchestrating the “insertion” of some P75-billion infrastructure fund in the proposed 2019 national budget without the knowledge of President Rodrigo Duterte, Department of Public Works and Highways as well congressmen whose districts would benefit from the programs.

READ: Andaya says Diokno behind P75-B insertion in DPWH budget

READ: Infra ‘insertions’ in 2019 budget P75B, not P51.8B — Diokno

But Diokno said the P75 billion should not be called “insertions” as these were “adjustments” which were part of the budget process.

READ: Diokno: P75-B ‘adjustment’ in DPWH 2019 budget is for infra commitment

Andaya started his exposès after Senator Panfilo Lacson alleged that Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo got P2.4 billion in “pork barrel” funds while the Camarines Sur congressman got P1.9 billion. Both denied Lacson’s allegations. /kga