Senate set to probe P7.5-B ‘ghost’ roads

The Senate agriculture and food committee will investigate the P7.5 billion allegedly spent by the Department of Agriculture on nonexistent and defective farm-to-market roads.

Senate agriculture Chairman Francis Pangilinan said he would file a resolution ordering the committee to investigate reports that the government released the  amount before the 2010 elections .

“If found true,” Pangilinan said, “then those responsible for this anomaly must be held accountable and must explain themselves to those who toil their farms relentlessly yet remain below the poverty line.”

It was the Senate oversight committee on public expenditures that discovered the  anomaly earlier this month.

Senate finance Chairman Franklin Drilon refused to reveal the districts where the road projects were constructed nor the identities of those responsible.

“We have identified the areas but I am not ready to reveal these,” Drilon said.

But Drilon clarified that not all of the farm-to-market roads were nonexistent.

“There are cases when the length or quality of the road are not compliant with what was specified,” he said.

Drilon said the funds for the roads were released from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2010.

Drilon plans to submit   the oversight panel’s findings and let blue ribbon committee chairman Senator Teofisto “TG” Guingona III decide whether an investigation is warranted.

Pangilinan’s move would in effect preempt Drilon’s effort.

He explained, however, that an investigation is necessary especially after the Commission on Audit noted that funds for the  farm-to-market roads in Manguindanao were spent on gas purchases from service stations owned by the Ampatuan family, known supporters of former president Macapagal- Arroyo.

“This is plunder. Our people were deprived of the opportunity to improve their lives with the help of these much-needed roads,” Pangilinan said.

A Catholic bishop yesterday said those responsible for the nonexistent farm-to-market roads should be held criminally liable.

Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes lamented that too many provinces lack well-paved roads.

“We really need farm-to-market roads but they are not existing at all,” said Bastes over the Church-run Radio Veritas.  “We need roads everywhere—in Bohol, in Sorsogon. But where is that P7 billion?” asked Bastes.

“To me, it’s a criminal thing to use [the money] for other purposes…,” said the bishop. With Jocelyn R. Uy