Palace: No discrimination in distribution of 'pork'

MANILA, Philippines - The administration does not discriminate between allies and political foes in Congress in releasing pork funds, officially called Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte made the pronouncement to squelch insinuations that the Aquino administration had been withholding pork barrel funds of opposition lawmakers.

But she admitted the release of the funds had been coursed through local chief executives, and not given directly to the congressmen.

“It’s not true that their funds are not released. If you go to the Department of Budget and Management website we can see fund releases to the minority, to the members of the (House) minority,” Valte said.

“We have no bias toward or against any member of the House of Representatives, whether members of the majority or the minority. The administration has the welfare of their constituents in mind,” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda disclosed earlier that it’s the policy of President Aquino to release the pork funds of his vocal critics in the House of Representatives to the municipalities covered by their districts.

“Our concern is, 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.

He cited as example Zambales Rep. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay, a staunch ally of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose pork funds went directly to local officials in her district.

“That’s being done right now. Like Congresswoman Magsaysay, she is against the administration, she is against the policies,” he said.

“We have not exerted pressure on Congresswoman Magsaysay. She continues to be a vocal opposition member so we have not stopped her from exerting her right to voice her opinion,” Lacierda pointed out.

“But did we violate her PDAF, did we deprive her constituents? I think the whole situation is we will not leave your constituents high and dry. We will help their constituents,” Lacierda said. “So that’s being done. So there’s no issue on the constituents themselves being helped.”

“The constituencies have not been deprived of assistance from the national government. What is the role of the legislature when it comes to PDAF? The role of the legislature when it comes to the PDAF is to identify projects,” he explained.

Savings for minority

Valte stressed opposition congressmen have benefited from “savings” from the national government, which included those from projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, and Department of Agriculture.

Former Liberal Party member Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas topped the list with P378.3 million, followed by Augusto Syjuco of Iloilo with P340 million, and Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo of Camarines Sur with P269 million.  

Fourth is Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas of Davao del Sur with P198 million, followed by Rep. Danny Suarez of Quezon with P192.3 million, sixth is Rep. Toby Tiangco of Navotas with P105 million, Rep. Mitos Magsaysay of Zambales with P49.8 million and Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla, who only had P4 million.

The “savings” were released in 2011, Valte said. The funds were not PDAF, however.

“Well, what’s important here is that the district is not left unattended,” Valte said.

“Congresswoman Magsaysay, she’s a very intelligent woman, I’m sure that she knows that she can continue to coordinate for her projects,” Valte pointed out.

“Remember the President’s policy is not leave any district behind. So this is the summary of projects for every district of minority members,” she said.

Abad, meanwhile, said even members of the majority coalition in the House, have not been receiving their PDAF on time. – With Iris Gonzales