Aquino to wait for Lacson report on bunkhouse probe

President Aquino, center, inspects a temporary shelter for typhoon victims during his visit to Tacloban city, on Dec. 22, 2013. Allegations of overpricing and substandard work have raised fears that the entrenched pork barrel system that spawned the alleged P10-billion Janet Lim-Napoles racket exposed by whistle-blowers last July is again rearing its ugly head in this early stage of reconstruction following the most violent typhoon to hit this country. AP/ACHMAD IBRAHIM

MANILA, Philippines – A Malacañang official on Tuesday said President Benigno Aquino III expressed his trust in the public works agency but at the same time is waiting for rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson’s investigation into the reported overpricing of bunkhouses for people left homeless by Supertyphoon Yolanda.

“Hanggang ngayon naman po sa aking pagkakaalam buo po ang tiwala at kumpyansa ng ating pangulo kay Secretary Singson,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a press briefing at the Palace.

(I think the President has the full confidence in Secretary Singson.)

He said the President would wait for Lacson’s report.

“Ang sinabi n’ya (Aquino) hihintayin nya ang ulat ni Secretary Lacson tungkol ditto,” he said.

(Aquino said he would wait for the result of Lacson’s probe.)

The Aquino administration is currently facing allegations that overpriced temporary shelters are being built for survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

Coloma said Lacson, back in December last year, had already asked the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) to look into the matter.

Nevertheless, he said they are pushing through with the bunkhouse project while the investigation is ongoing.

“Determinado ang ating pamahalaang ipagpatuloy ang proyektong ito dahil kailangang-kailangan po ito ng ating mamamayan at handa naman pong panagutan ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), sa pangunguna ni Secretary (Rogelio) Singson, ang anumang responsibilidad,” Coloma said.

He cited the agency’s “record of efficiency and of cleaning up previous irregularities in the system.”

Last Monday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published a report on the alleged overpricing of bunkhouses based on interviews with local officials and government engineers. Singson denied the overpricing accusation, but said it was possible that private contractors were not following government specifications for the structures.

Lacson, on the other hand, revealed that they were already investigation the possible “collusion” of contractors and at least a politician to receive kickbacks of 30 to 35 percent from the construction of bunkhouses.

With more than 6,000 people killed and 500,000 houses totally destroyed by the typhoon last November 8, the Philippine government is struggling to bring relief to survivors and to rehabilitate affected areas. The construction of temporary shelters, and eventually permanent ones, for displaced residents is among the priorities of the rehabilitation plan.

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