GMA House allies: Bidges not overpriced

From: gmanews.tv

Bridges that were supposedly grossly overpriced and built under the term of then-Presdient Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were actually screened and above board, her allies at the House of Representatives claimed on Wednesday.

Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong, who served as Mrs. Arroyo’s Public Works and Highways secretary from 2001 to 2003, said all the bridges built under the President’s Bridge Program during his Cabinet stint “passed through the process” of “rigorous screening.
 
Senato Sergio Osmeña III on Monday sought an investigation on the “serial plunder,” allegedly committed during Mrs. Arroyo’s term, in connection with 14 contracts priced at P111 billion.

Osmena said Mrs. Arroyo “misrepresented” the bridge program as an Official Development Assistance (ODA) project, which justified her administration’s decision to forego public bidding.

But the bridge program “has always been carried out through loan mechanisms” such as the ODA for the past four administrations, Datumanong noted.

Osmeña should have checked his facts before accusing the former President of wrongdoing, said House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez.
 
“Sa amin, hindi naman yata tama that he made accusations without getting all the facts presented. Kawawa naman ‘yung career ng kasamahan namin dito. How do we expect investments to pour in if there is no infrastructure in place? At the end of the day, iyan naman talaga dapat ang trabaho ng gobyerno. You should learn to develop the countryside,” Suarez said.###