Syjuco seeks release of pork barrel funds

Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco Jr. yesterday pleaded with President Aquino for the release of his P70-million pork barrel fund allocation for 2011.

In an open letter to Aquino, Syjuco said in fairness to his constituents and those of his four other minority peers, their priority development assistance fund (PDAF, the official name of the pork barrel) allocations should be released.

Syjuco said for 2011, all those given PDAF under the national budget, including Vice President Jejomar Binay and senators, have already received their funds.

“In fairness, since this had long ago been released to the Vice President, 24 senators (except one who did not need it) and 279 out of 284 congressmen, or a total of more than 98 percent of all of us elected national officials, it should also be released to the only remaining five of us,” he said.

The PDAF is called an “equalization fund” because each district, regardless of the political affiliation of its representative, is supposed to be assured of at least P70 million, he added.

Syjuco did not identify his peers who, like him, have been starved of their funds.

However, a Department of Budget and Management report shows that aside from Syjuco, PDAF funds have not been released to Reps. Juan Miguel Arroyo of Ang Galing Pinoy, his brother Diosdado of Camarines Sur, their uncle, the late Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occidental, and Mitos Magsaysay of Zambales.

Other members of the minority, including former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, who represents Pampanga’s second district, and Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap have received their allocations.

Yap, a former agriculture secretary, and Syjuco served in Arroyo’s Cabinet.

The Iloilo lawmaker was director-general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority with Cabinet rank.

Syjuco said he does not believe that Aquino would want to decimate the political opposition and have all national and local officials as allies.

“I can still well understand the ‘human aspect’ of wanting to deprive those who are not supportive of you, but as I have said time and again, I am supportive of Your Excellency,” he told Aquino in his letter.

“I am sure that you would find that having no opposition left to be anathema in our fledgling democracy. Also, I believe Your Excellency would not countenance the furtherance of your allies who may be overly rapacious against democracy.”

Wishing Aquino well at the start of his letter, Syjuco informed the President that the funds that Malacañang spokesmen claim have been released to his district are appropriations allocated to his constituency under the national budget.

“Your Excellency and I have had no past relationship whatsoever, neither good nor bad,” he said.

“However, a few local politicians in Iloilo with self-serving local political strife, who want me replaced, misrepresented me to be Your Excellency’s vile enemy.

“Time and again, I have said to everyone, even in my numerous letters to Your Excellency, that I would not stand in the way of your programs, and that it would be a great disservice to our country and our 90 million Filipinos to stand in your way to build the upgraded society that you envision for us,” Syjuco said.