Senators urge Duterte to abolish Road Board

MANILA, Philippines — Congress should let President Duterte decide on the bill seeking to abolish the Road Board amid allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said yesterday.

Drilon said the measure should be sent immediately to Duterte’s desk for his action.

“We should let the President decide. It is a political decision,” Drilon said.

 He stressed there is no reason for its transmittal to the Office of the President to be delayed any further.

“Since the Senate has adopted the House version,” Drilon explained, “the House lost jurisdiction over the bill and could no longer validly reconsider its approval of the measure, which will abolish the Road Board.”

He said the Senate’s decision to adopt the House version of the bill “rendered a bicameral conference unnecessary.”

 Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Road Board’s collections from the Motor Vehicle Users’ Charge (MVUC) estimated at over P166 billion should be included in the annual budget.

The Senate has approved a bill abolishing the Road Board and transferring its powers, including the management of the MVUC, to the Departments of Public Works and Highways and Transportation.

The House of Representatives, which also passed a similar measure earlier this year, recalled the bill from the bicameral conference committee, the body composed of representatives from the two chambers that will reconcile conflicting provisions of their respective version.

“The problem is both Senate and House versions are defective. While it abolished the Road Board, the funds are still off budget. They remain lump sums, and worse, off budget,” Recto said.

On Sept. 12, the Senate adopted the House version to dispense with the bicameral conference. Later that day, the House rescinded its approval on third reading of its own version.

However, the only remaining steps to complete the legislative process were the printing and signing of the enrolled copy of the bill and its presentation to the President for approval, Drilon said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the MVUC funds lodged in the National Treasury as of Nov. 30 reached P45.7 billion. 

During a recent hearing at the Senate, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar estimated the MVUC funds to be P166.1 billion.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said yesterday the DBM would not release the fund until the Road Board is abolished.

Diokno said he wants Congress – not the Road Board -– to decide on what to do with the MVUC funds.

Former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez was pressuring Diokno to resign because the budget chief refuses to release the fund.     –  With Cecille Suerte Felipe