Opposition lawmakers dispute Palace claim on PDAF
Opposition lawmakers disputed yesterday the claim of Malacañang that their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) has been directly released to their constituents.
“We take offense at the recent claims of Palace spokesmen that all PDAF have been released, if not to members of the House minority, then directly to their constituents. As a matter of fact, those disbursements were not our so-called pork barrel funds but regular fund releases under the general budget,” the opposition bloc said in a statement.
“The administration has no discretion to move those funds around from one purpose to another, and so they could not claim to be doing the minority a favor,” the lawmakers said.
Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo challenged Malacañang to identify the projects or local government units in their districts that have benefited from such fund releases.
“So far no reply yet. And in Dato’s case, we discovered that the amount supposedly released to his district for health services was actually intended for the entire province of Camarines Sur, with his district receiving only a fraction of that amount!”
“It is the constituents of our colleagues who are being unfairly punished for the political principles of their representatives,” the bloc said.
Arroyo, youngest son of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-arroyo, appealed to Malacañang “to refrain from resorting to disinformation that demeans the integrity of the members of the House of Representatives, particularly members of the opposition.”
He said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told a recent press briefing that the Palace released P51 million worth of health projects that were released to local government units in his district.
But he said Health Secretary Enrique Ona, during a recent meeting with opposition lawmakers, denied Valte’s statement. He said Ona also presented documents, which showed that of the P51 million, only P3.5 million went to Arroyo’s district.
“I hope that Malacañang could immediately rectify the present plight of our scholars in the district which already number in the thousands who are having a difficult time meeting their financial obligations with their respective schools especially at this time when graduation is fast approaching,” Arroyo said.
“The failure to release the whole of my PDAF for 2011 has pushed these scholars to the wall and deprived them of the opportunity to improve their lives and that of their families,” he added.
Dato’s pork remains
intact – Palace
Malacañang, however, said Arroyo’s P70-million PDAF remains intact, adding it would be up to the budget department to release it.
“Let me emphasize that we never touched the PDAF of Congressman Dato Arroyo. Under the law, if you’re going to touch the PDAF, it’s a requirement that you consult with the lawmaker,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.
When asked if the PDAF of Arroyo would be released, Lacierda said he would first ask Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.
Lacierda also clarified that Valte never mentioned that Arroyo’s PDAF had been released. “What she said and I quote her was that the second district of Camarines Sur had P218 million worth of projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways,” he said.
He said another P51 million from the Department of Health was also released for Arroyo’s district.
“We’re using DBM( Department of Budget and Management) figures here. So we have never stated anything other than what is stated in the GAA (General Appropriations Act),” Lacierda said.
Valte also reminded the congressmen that they could only identify the projects for their respective districts.
Lacierda also defended the practice of the government to release the PDAF of opposition lawmakers directly to local chief executives.
“If you’re not helping us in our programs, in our policies we might as well go straight to your constituents and help the constituents,” Lacierda said.
A list Valte showed to Palace reporters confirmed that minority congressmen were beneficiaries of various projects funded out of the savings of the national government.
But she said these were not the PDAF that opposition congressmen wanted.
Among the beneficiaries were Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas, P378.3 million; Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco, P340 million; Arroyo P269 million; Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas, P198 million; Quezon Rep. Danny Suarez, P192.3 million; Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, P105 million; Magsaysay P49.8 million; and Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla, P4 million.
The funds were released in 2011, Valte said.
“What’s important here is that the district is not left unattended,” she said.