Noynoy Aquino indicted over DAP funds

MANILA -- The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted former President Benigno Aquino III for usurpation of legislative powers over the use of the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

In the resolution dated May 22 approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales on June 14,

The Ombudsman partially granted the motion for reconsideration filed by militant leaders led by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate.

The motion sought the reversal of the earlier decision of the Office of the Ombudsman to acquit Aquino of the charges against him over the alleged implementation of DAP in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The Ombudsman said that the charges against the former President stemmed from the unlawful issuance of National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 541 to implement the DAP involving P72 billion, which authorized the withdrawal of unobligated allotments of agencies with low levels of obligations.

The May 22 resolution stated that “a re-evaluation of the case establishes that the individual actions of respondent Aquino and respondent-movant (Former Budget Secretary Florencio) Abad showed a joint purpose and design to encroach on the powers of Congress by expanding the meaning of savings to fund programs, activities and projects under the DAP.”

According to the Ombudsman, it has found in the exchange of memoranda between Aquino and Abad that Aquino gave his approval on the requests to pool savings to fund the DAP.