(Eagle News) — Former Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad on Friday denied he had anything to do with a supposed P8.7-billion road scam, noting that the Department of Budget and Management, in the first place, “has nothing to do with the negotiations and approval of right of way claims.”
“The expertise and function for that lies with the (Department of Public Works and Highways),” Abad, who held the position during President Benigno Aquino III’s time, said in a statement.
Even then, he said Rogelio Singson, who was the Public Works and Highways secretary then, “can very well explain.”
But Singson deferred from making any comment, noting that he has yet to see the documents the contents of which Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre used as bases to level the allegations against the two.
“If there were allegations or insinuations of graft on my and DBM’s part, I can tell you with certainty that those have no basis in fact and in truth,” Abad said.
In a statement on Friday, Aguirre said Abad and Singson may face “criminal liability” after they “apparently approved and requested the release of payment of fake (road right of way) claims.”
He made the conclusion based on documents supposedly submitted by a witness who was a member of the syndicate operating since 2009.