Palace: Duterte to sign bill abolishing Road Board

MANILA, Philippines — There is no stopping President Rodrigo Duterte from signing the bill abolishing the Road Board, Malacañang said Tuesday, despite the clash of the House and the Senate on the fate of the graft-tainted body.

In September, the Senate passed and adopted the House version of a bill filed by former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez abolishing the Road Board due to huge irregularities in the use of motor vehicle user’s charge (MVUC).

But House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. also in September made a motion to rescind the approval of the said bill. Nobody objected and the motion was carried at the lower chamber.

READ: Senate, House clash over fate of Road Board

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte would sign the bill abolishing the Road Board if it reaches his desk, adding that the President was against the release of the P45 billion road user’s tax.

“Yes, that’s what is needed. We want that the fund be returned to the treasury and then let the Congress appropriate again for specific purpose,” Panelo said in a palace briefing.

Lawmakers have alleged that the road user’s tax has been a huge source of corruption.

“We’re against it, the release,” Panelo said.

The Palace official said Duterte would sign the bill “as soon as it is given to him.” /je