Mayors apprehensive Pabling’s PDAF will be used for polls

CEBU, Philippines - Some mayors of the second district have fears that the P72.8-million Priority Development Assistance Fund of former Rep. Pablo Garcia deposited as trust fund at the Capitol would be used during the barangay elections against them.

Alcoy Mayor Nicomedes delos Santos said that they heard that the money could be used outside the original purpose as intended by Garcia.

De los Santos said that the mayors in the second district are hoping that the money will be used in the district as intended.

He said that they planning to talk with Gov. Hilario Davide III about the money.

Among the fears of the mayors is that they are not politically allied with Davide.

“I would trust that Gov. Davide would standby the mantra of daang matuwid that he would not allow that to be used outside the purpose and without the  knowledge of intended beneficiaries,” delos Santos said.

He suggested that should the money be released, it should be after the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections.

“Maas mayo di magamit before election or after nalang sa election. Kuyawan baya mi,” delos Santos said.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad earlier said that the Cebu Provincial Government should be the one to supervise the disbursement of Garcia’s congressional funds since it was deposited under its account.

Abad said that Garcia, as the proponent legislator, has the “authority to identify the beneficiaries as well as the priority development programs and projects to be charged against the PDAF.”

Garcia was defeated by Rep. Wilfredo Caminero in his bid for reelection for third and final term last May 13 elections.

Garcia wanted the fund deposited as a trust fund at the Capitol be returned to Congress.

Garcia earlier asked his daughter, now third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia, to return the funds when latter returned office days before her term ended on June 30, 2013 after her six-month suspension expired on June 17.

Gwendolyn tried to release the P72.8-million during her last day in office at the Capitol, but she was not able to because of the absence of a provincial treasurer who could sign the voucher.

Pablo had sought the assistance of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to investigate Vice Governor Agnes Magpale for allegedly withholding the checks as financial assistance to the different municipalities of the second district when the latter assumed office as acting governor last December following the suspension of Gwendolyn.

Magpale earlier said that she was just being careful about the release of checks out of the PDAF of Pablo.

Magpale questioned why Dumanjug gets P55 million while other towns in the second district only have the appropriations ranging from P20,000 to P500,000.

The mayor of Dumanjug, Nelson Garcia, is the son of Pablo.

This prompted Pablo to withdraw his request to erase the doubt of Magpale. —(FREEMAN)