Janet Napoles is just one of a dozen “ghost project” contractors at the Department of Agriculture (DA). Unfortunately for her, she was caught. The others are still doing business at the agency to this day. According to a DA official who requested not to be identified, “Aling Lyn Miranda” and “Manang Rose Lingad” are a few of these contractors who cornered hundreds of millions of pesos of soft projects funded by the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of several congressmen not only during Gloria Arroyo’s administration but even under this administration as well. ”Aling Lyn Miranda,” “Manang Rose Lingad” and the others, including Napoles, have one common modus operandi, according to my DA official friend. These “kontratistas” would go to the lawmakers and offer up to 30 percent commission for soft projects and a 15 percent commission for infrastructure projects funded by their pork barrel. Once the congressman or senator endorses the company, which is usually bogus, to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the release of his PDAF, the contractor will pay him his commission up front. My source added that “ Aling Lyn Miranda” and “Manang Rose Lingad” and the rest of the “kontratistas” are fortunate that their operations have not yet been exposed. The two women contractors, just like Napoles, are also into soft projects such as fertilizers and livelihood programs funded by the pork barrel of congressmen. Just like Napoles, they are into “ghost projects” in cahoots with their sponsor lawmakers. And like Napoles, “Manang Lyn Miranda” allegedly has a foundation called “Takip Buhay Pangkabuhayan” which is the recipient of livelihood funds worth hundreds of millions from PDAF. ”Mas malaki pa yang dalawa kay Napoles dahil mga congressman ang kausap niyan. E, ilan ba ang congressman natin?” The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee headed by my good friend Sen. Teofisto Guingona 3rd, should subpoena “Aling Lyn Miranda” and “Manang Rose Lingad” so that they can disclose where the hundreds of millions of pesos in “pork” went. After all, this investigation is not only about Janet Napoles, but “in aid of legislation” to prevent further misuse of public funds. * * * Small time DPWH contractors are now billionaires Rumor also has it at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that several former small time contractors who could barely afford to post bonds or buy bidding documents are now billionaires thanks to the pork barrel of lawmakers. The story runs like this: A group of contractors who was renting equipment then and only had a handful of workers became instant billionaires when the Arroyo administration came into power. Thanks to the husband of a ranking official, these three contractors were introduced to several senators and congressmen. Danny Chua, Joseph Tan, and Edwin Gradiola allegedly got hundreds of millions from the lawmakers who were close to the administration then and to the husband of a former high ranking official. My DPWH mole said the contractors had to sacrifice the quality of the projects because they had to cut cost to be able to give commission as much as 30 percent to the lawmaker whose pork barrel was used. Now the three contractors have laid low because their “connections” or “padrinos” are no longer in power. However, the three are said to be well off now. One of them won in the May elections and was even able to acquire a restaurant. The other one acquired a property in the posh Ayala-Alabang Village and opened up several businesses, while the last one reportedly owns 50 luxury cars and bought a big farm in Batangas. The Blue Ribbon panel should also extract information from Tan, Gradiola and Chua so that those lawmakers who got commissions of “kickbacks” will be identified. Tolentino makes rounds before going home. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino was spotted late Friday afternoon at the Paranaque Integrated Bus Teminal talking to his men and with several bus drivers and operators. I immediately called up the traffic czar to check if there is a problem in the area that may be worth including in the 6 p.m. news at TV 5 since it was already late in the afternoon and almost all government employees and officials have called it a day. Tolentino, who goes home in Tagaytay every Friday, told this columnist there was nothing unusual or newsworthy at the bus terminal. “Just making sure that everything is OK before I go home,” he said. A reporter who covers the MMDA beat told me that the Metro Manila traffic chief really inspects his men and everything that is under their jurisdiction, particularly traffic and the flood control system, before he goes to his hometown. President Aquino needs men like Tolentino who can be left alone by the boss and will definitely accomplish his mission.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 16:46:06 +0000
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