Lawmakers have earned and stand to earn huge kickbacks from road projects funded by the P45-billion road user’s tax controlled by the Road Board, which Malacañang and the Senate want abolished against the wishes of the House leadership, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said on Sunday. The allies of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wanted to control the proceeds from the tax officially known as the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC), which is overseen by the corruption-plagued Road Board, Alvarez said. Senate President Vicente Sotto III agreed that the road user’s tax could be considered “big pork,” but said the Senate would try to keep the fund safe from any sinister intentions. “The Road Board already has its list of contractors from which they could take their pick,” he added. Alvarez said House leaders and their allies could potentially get more kickbacks, considering the Road Board was now at the House’s mercy.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 16, 2018 23:26 UTC