“Dalawang bagay lang ‘yan. Either tanga ka or talagang kasabwat ka.”
This was how Sen. Erwin Tulfo described the situation of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan after the latter denied any involvement in the anomalous flood control projects at the resumption of the Senate inquiry into the scandal.
Sen. Erwin, Vice Chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, told an interview with DZMM that while the issue concerning Bonoan is now in the hands of the court, he is of the belief that, “either sobra ka kumpiyansa, tanga ka or kasabwat ka.’
The lawmaker also sought that justice be served properly for contractors who did their end of the bargain properly and yet got subpoenas or are being charged owing to the wrong coordinates.
“Maraming kawawang contractor… justice should be served properly. Kung ginawa naman talaga nila ang proyekto, natapos ba, substandard ba, specified ba na dito mo gagawin. Bakit mo kakasuhan kung nasa tamang standard at completed. Maraming kinakasuhan…me subpoena, nagpapaliwanag. Di maganda kasi pinangunahan nang maraming ghost, ‘yun pala, di na-pinpoint nang tama,” he noted.
The Senator noted that the real ghost projects have to be identified, noting how the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, whose expertise in finding exact coordinates, were also thrown into confusion as the difference in distance between the coordinates were one to kilometers.
“Hustisya lang sa mga gumawa nang tama at nasa ayos naman. Di maganda kasi ang impression na pinaasa ang Pangulo at taumbayan na napakaraming ‘ghost projects’ ‘yun pala nagawa. Mali-mali lang dahil sa maling coordinates,” Sen. Erwin sighed.
According to Tulfo, the Blue Ribbon Committee resumed the hearing in the light of the admission of the DPWH that there are many wrong coordinates with regard the questionable flood control projects.
He noted that as it turned out, thousands have been branded as ghost projects owing to wrong coordinates, stressing that this has to be corrected and there is a need to enlighten the public as to why there are two kinds of coordinates – planning and execution- which supposedly resulted in the said error.
