Garcia probe rekindles Lakas-KAMPI feud

The ongoing congressional inquiry on the alleged unexplained wealth of Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia has rekindled a feud between pro-administration parties at the House of Representatives.

The renewed verbal skirmishes between leaders of the ruling party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) began when its president, Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno, issued a statement calling for the House to open its books of accounts for public scrutiny to set the moral tone of accountability.

Lakas Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, chairman of the House committee on accounts, said Puno’s statement was inappropriate since the Commission on Audit (COA) has always inspected the books and financial records of the House for public accountability.

Barbers said the House was even praised by COA for maintaining clear financial records of all its transactions.

He challenged Puno to present any evidence of irregularity on the part of the House leaders.

"He (Puno) must put up (any evidence) or shut up," Barbers said.

The Surigao lawmaker said Puno is on a "futile fishing expedition" which could spark unfounded speculations of any wrongdoing by the House leaders.

Barbers said some lawmakers have even used the ongoing inquiry on Garcia to further their political or personal agenda.

He said some lawmakers are also exploiting the situation to fuel perceptions of political instability on the part of the executive and the judiciary and they want the legislative branch to be dragged into the controversy.

Puno has called for public scrutiny of the House financial records.

"I think before we scrutinize the budget of other government agencies, we should start scrutinizing the House budget," Puno said. - Perseus Echeminada