MANILA, September 20, 2011-Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Foods calls to unmask the mastermind of P7.5B farm to market roads.
Pangilinan said that his committee wants to investigate the enormous amount released from the Department of Agriculture (DA) during 2010’s election period supposedly to be used in constructing farm to market roads without a work program.
“If found true that no farm-to-market road was constructed when this amount was released from January to June 2010, then those responsible for this anomaly must be held accountable and must explain themselves to those who toil their farms relentlessly yet remain below the poverty line,” Pangilinan said.
“I will file a resolution calling for an investigation into the anomaly, especially considering COA reports that funds to be used in constructing farm-to-market roads in Maguindanao were mostly spent for gas purchases from service stations owned by former President Arroyo’s known allies the Ampatuans,” he added.
“This is plunder. Our people were deprived of the opportunity to improve their lives with the help of these much-needed roads,” he furthered.
Pangilinan said that theft of government money through anomalous transactions must be ended. The people particularly the farmers should be given justice from their overlong plight. There is a need to trace where the said enormous funds went and the culprits and their accomplices should be punished. (Jason de Asis)
No comments:
Post a Comment