CAN a line agency of the national government like the National Irrigation Administration implement and complete projects without informing a member of the House of Representatives who worked for the allocation of funds for these projects?
This question is being asked after Rep. Anton F. Lagdameo of Davao del Norte discovered that the funding allocations that he had worked for in Congress since 2008 had allegedly been used up without his knowledge. The paper trail so far indicates that up to August last year an aggregate amount of P123.6 million had been spent on several irrigation projects in the towns of Carmen, Sto. Tomas, Kapalong and Tagum City.
The projects were identified by the lawmaker upon request of irrigator associations in his district, budgets which Lagdameo had successfully worked for inclusion in the General Appropriations Act. The preliminary report coming out from the investigation made by the lawmaker’s staff is that many of the projects reported to have been completed are actually non-existent.
The NIA officials concerned, namely regional manager Felix Razo and irrigation superintendent Alejandro Alberca, should explain where those projects went and the role they played, if any, in what some media commentators have already branded as a hocus-pocus of sorts. Razo’s written and oral apology to Rep. Lagdameo for his failure to inform the lawmaker about the projects is definitely not enough.
Since a portion of the mess happened during the early part of President Noynoy Aquino’s incumbency, Agriculture Secretary Prospero Alcala should posthaste order an investigation. This is a blot on the “daang matuwid” slogan of the PNoy administration.
Congressman Lagdameo can hardly be blamed for being incensed by the sordid affair. This is an insult to his being a lawmaker representing the Second District, aside from being violative of the oversight powers of Congress. If he lets this pass as if nothing happened, he would be guilty of tolerating shenanigans in his turf.
