Press Release
October 15, 2018

GORDON SLAMS PLACING PERSONAL GAINS BEFORE COUNTRY'S BENEFIT OVER RROW SCAM

As the modus operandi employed by the syndicates behind the road right-of-way scam continues to unfold, Senator Richard J. Gordon denounced officials of concerned government agencies who knowingly or unknowingly abetted the syndicates in tarnishing the integrity of the country's Torrens title.

During the continuation of the Blue Ribbon Committee's investigation into the P8.7-billion road right-of-way payment scam, Gordon, who heads the committee, ordered the National Bureau of Investigations to amend the charges filed to include officials of government agencies involved in the payment of RROW compensation who were not in the original charge sheet. He also asked for a list of those already in the charge sheets and the charges filed.

"Ilan na ang kasong nai-file ninyo? Mayroon pa bang kailangan na hindi nasali doon? In the course of these hearings, nakikita ninyo ba kung sino pa ang pa-file-an? So magdadagdag tayo," he said, noting that some officials have not exerted sufficient due diligence which would have prevented the government from being defrauded.

Gordon also pointed out that the whole system have collapsed because some officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Land Registration Authority, Register of Deeds, and other agencies, who put their selfish gain above integrity and love for country, give in to the syndicates' machinations in exchange for money.

"The road to progress will be difficult if these government officials put selfish gain above integrity and love for country. The cost of governance becomes very expensive. And we cannot rely on titles that are supposed to be protected by the LRA, protected by the Register of Deeds, protected by DPWH. The whole system collapsed. Why? It collapsed because of money. Because lahat naglalagay," the senator decried.

"Government must do more than what there is. Kung may duda, hanapin. Kung magsisilbi ka--wala, eh. Ganoon ang gobyerno. Kapag lumapit ang tao. He said it was in the title. He said, and you relied on him. You didn't bother na maghukay. Dapat hinukay ninyo because the Secretary of Public Works is already asking. May duda ako diyan. Dapat naghukay kayo. Hindi ka naghukay. Hindi ka naghukay. At hindi ka pa naghuhukay, at hindi ka naghukay," he told several officials of concerned agencies.

Earlier, Gordon recommended that the Office of the Ombudsman, the Department of Justice and the NBI should conduct a lifestyle check on officials of government agencies involved in RROW payment.

The Blue Ribbon has been investigating the RROW payment scam in General Santos City. The modus operandi of the syndicate was to claim for just compensation of RROW which are intended for rightful owners who were affected by national highway construction at General Santos City. The syndicates present fake titles that are certified genuine by the LRA.

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