Filtered By: Topstories
News

No missing road board funds, says Ebdane


Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. on Tuesday belied allegations that the Road Board, which he heads, misused P56.5 billion of road user’s tax since 2001. “There are no missing funds. How can P56.5 billion evaporate without a trace? There are no magicians in the Road Board," Ebdane said in a press briefing Tuesday morning. He also said that he is ready to face accusations hurled against him by the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, adding that he can show records and lists of allotments that the board released in the past years. The committee, chaired by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, recommended on Monday the filing of plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against Ebdane, executive director Rodolfo Puno and board secretariat Danilo Valero for alleged misuse of the funds. Under Republic Act 8794 or the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge Act of 2000, the money collected under the act shall only be used (1) for road maintenance and the improvement of road drainage, (2) for the installation of adequate and efficient traffic lights and road safety devices, and (3) for air pollution control. But the economic affairs committee concluded after a public hearing last month that there have been “unconscionable road tax anomalies involving billions of pesos," especially in 2007, which Santiago noted was an election year. Santiago likewise urged the Senate to amend or repeal RA 8794 in order to directly deposit road user’s taxes to the national treasury. Ebdane however maintained that all transactions in the Road Board were covered by resolutions duly signed by various government agencies and in consultation with concerned local government officials. “I take professional responsibility for the work of the Road Board since the time that I was designated its chairman, as part of the job of the Secretary of Public Works and Highways. I have personally supervised and presided over all the meetings of the Road Board, and I am familiar with the projects that we approve," he said. Ebdane, who recently declared his intent to run for the presidency in the 2010 polls, also said he is not discounting the possibility that the decision of the Senate committee was “politically motivated." Malacañang meanwhile expressed confidence Ebdane and the rest of the Road Board could explain and make public the full accounting of road user’s tax collections. “I think the best thing to do now is for Secretary Ebdane and the Road Users Tax Board to explain and to give their side to Congress. Palagay ko ang mahalaga ngayon makapaliwanag ng side din naman nila (I think what is important now is for them to be able to explain their side) and let’s see what will happen after that," said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo in a separate press briefing on Tuesday. Fajardo likewise said that there is no need for Ebdane and the other accused officials to go on leave while the Senate is conducting its probe on the matter. – GMANews.TV

LOADING CONTENT