[ad_1]
MANILA, Philippines – The vice president and representative of Camarines Sur, LRay Villafuerte, should explain to the Filipino people why the national government has to assume the construction of the Provincial Capitol of his district, which costs more than P420 million.
Former Negros Occidental representative Albee Benítez said this after Villafuerte dragged him to the speaker row that arose out of a legislator’s query about Camarines Sur’s alleged sizable allocation in the 2021 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
During the DPWH budget briefing before the House appropriations committee, Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves, Jr. stated that Camarines Sur has been allocated a considerable amount of P11.8 billion for projects of infrastructure, while Taguig City would get P8 billion.
Taguig is the legislative territory of President Alan Peter Cayetano and his wife, the representative of the second district of Taguig, Lani Cayetano.
But Villafuerte, one of Cayetano’s main allies, said Teves’ interrogation reveals the plan hatched by the camp of Marinduque representative Lord Allan Velasco to alter the course of the current leadership to approve the 2021 budget ahead of time.
Under the shared term agreement negotiated by President Duterte, Cayetano would serve as president for 15 months before Velasco succeeds him and leads Congress for 21 months.
“It is clear as the day that Congressman Teves has launched this ruse based on simple rumors as part of the sinister maneuver hatched by the Velasco camp, in collusion with the former representative of Negros Occidental Alfredo Abelardo Benítez, to ruin the commitment of the President Cayetano to fast -Follow the approval of the GAA 2021 ”, said Villafuerte.
But Benítez turned Villafuerte around and asked him: “Put your money where your mouth is.”
“You accuse Cong. You have to make accusations based on hearsay but what you are doing is worse. Totally unfounded and the product of your hyperactive and DEFENSIVE imagination, ”Benítez said in a statement.
“If you have nothing to hide, explain to the Filipino people why the national government has to assume the construction of its Provincial Capitol which costs more than P420M.” added.
The former legislator stressed that it is only fair that the Filipinos demand responses from Villafuerte, especially now that the country faces the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If the good congressman is morally sure that his budget will pass public scrutiny, then prove us all wrong. Be transparent with your own district budget. Every peso and penny counts, ”Benítez said. [ac]
Read next
EDITOR’S SELECTION
MOST READ
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer and more than 70 other titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download from 4am and share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
For comments, complaints or inquiries, please contact us.
[ad_2]
