Traffic agency heads absent at Senate hearing; Ejercito irked

SENATOR Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito threatened to cite in contempt the heads of agencies involved in traffic management for failing to attend on Monday the Senate inquiry on the worsening traffic in the country.

“I’d like to express once again my disappointment this afternoon for the failure of the different heads to appear in this hearing. Hindi naman tayo naglolokohan dito. Senado po ito. E ang pinadala panay usec (undersecretary), asec (assistant secretary). I’d just like to ask , can you all decide for you agency?” said Ejercito, who was presiding over the hearing of the joint committees on economic affairs and on public works.

Corazon Jimenez, undersecretary of the Metro Manila Development Authority, explained that the MMDA chief Secretary Francis Tolentino was with Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras and Chief Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, director of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), assessing the first day of deployment of traffic policemen on Edsa to direct traffic there.

Senator Bam Aquino, who initiated the hearing, said Almendras had apologized to him that he could not attend the hearing.

But Ejercito insisted that the agency heads should appear in the committee’s next hearing.

“I don’t want to sound harsh but next time they don’t appear, I’d like to cite them in contempt already,” said Ejercito.

“This is an invitation, Senado po ito hindi naman tayo naglolokohan dito and it’s the budget season, we’d like to hear what they want and what their agencies need tapos pupunta dito puro mga representatives. Hindi sa binabalewala kayo kaya lang I don’t think you can all decide for your agencies or can talk or can speak on behalf of your agencies.”

“So I’m really disappointed…and I expect that next time please don’t waste our time because our time also precious…” the senator added.