Senate Probe on Double Insertions

VS

The Senate will commence investigation on the double insertion issue unfolded by Senator Ping Lacson on Monday, September 29. Senator Lacson brought in the senate floor, on his privilege speech, the anomalous insertion of a P200-million fund for a supposed road project involving Senate President Manny Villar.

This insertion created different controversies between senators themselves and stretched other Senate insertions on the approved 2008 General Appropriations Act (GAA) as follows:

• Kibawe-Kadingilan-Kalinangan Road (P5 million) and Don Carlos-Kadingilan Road (P25 million), both in Bukidnon;
• Construction of access road, West Lateral Dike connecting to Hacienda Dolores to Porac Interchange of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Pampanga (P100 million);
• For the completion of the Cagayan de Oro International Trade and Convention Multipurpose Center, (P100 million);
• Tagaytay-Silang Road, Balalang-Matanda section in Cavite (P13 million);
• Construction of Molino Boulevard, in Cavite, including right of way (P37 million);
• The Aguinaldo Bridge project;
• P200 million for Maharlika Road, which, Lacson said, "God knows which part."

I’m sure many will watch the live coverage of this probe as it created media mileage for weeks and that people will be enlightened on the legalities of these double insertions and what will be the outcome. There are many Senate investigations done in the past but many where not disclose clearly to the public. Will this issue be one of those?