MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said it’s “time to abolish the graft-riden Road Board, dismissing the desire of the Arroyo-led House of Representatives to keep the agency. Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said he would submit to the Palace the Road Board abolition bill even without the signature of Arroyo. “I believe that the Senate has decided the right thing and has stated that the Road Board has been dismantled,” Duterte said. ADVERTISEMENTHe then said the Road Board continued to exist because of “politics and the expediency of everything.”House Majority leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said he and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had a dinner with Duterte in September before the House rescinded the bill abolishing the Road Board. He said Duterte agreed to keep the Road Board contrary to the statement of Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 21, 2018 12:11 UTC