NBI eyes deeper probe of DBM exec

Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos: Covered by NBI probe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Authorities looking into the scam involving the release of fake special allotment release orders (Saros) are particularly interested in what Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos has to say considering that some of his personnel have been implicated in the case, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Sunday.

“Given the involvement of some of his personnel, Usec Relampagos is inevitably covered by the (National Bureau of Investigation’s) ongoing probe,” De Lima said in text messages to reporters.

“The core factual issues are: Did he know about the shenanigans of his subordinates? Did he tolerate the same? Worse, did he benefit from those corrupt practices?” she said.

The NBI has been conducting a probe into the alleged participation of a driver and a janitor from the office of Relampagos in its investigation into the use of bogus Saros for farm-to-market roads.

A few days after she had stated that the fake Saro gang involved a group of personnel from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as well as staff members of congressmen, the justice secretary said investigators were not ruling out the possible involvement of “a higher DBM official or officials” in the scam.

But she stressed that they had not yet established the involvement of these high officials.

De Lima said Relampagos had already submitted a statement to the NBI but investigators were “most probably” still going to question him about this.

A Saro is a document issued by the DBM that allows the release of lump-sum funds, such as those from a senator’s or congressman’s pork barrel.

The fake Saro scam unraveled when Budget Secretary Florencio Abad sought an NBI probe in October.

This developed after an agriculture official alerted Abad to the release of a Saro for P161 million, which turned out to be fake.

Another Saro in Western Visayas amounting to P77 million was also found to be spurious.

The originals of the documents remained at the DBM and were neither signed nor released.

The DBM canceled 12 Saros covering P875 million worth of farm-to-market road projects, the funds for which had not yet been released or signed by the authorized signatory, then Assistant Secretary Luz Cantor.

The NBI has identified members of a group engaged in producing original photocopies of Saros to secure the release of congressional pork barrel funds for public projects.—With a report from Jerome Aning