Noy allies top recipients of infra ‘pork’ during GMA’s term

MANILA, Philippines - Liberal Party (LP) allies of President Aquino were among the biggest recipients of hundreds of millions of pesos in pork barrel funds released shortly before the 2010 elections by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The funds, intended for infrastructure and river de-silting projects, were disbursed mostly in February and March, less than three months before the combined May presidential, congressional and local elections.

Then Senator Aquino won the presidential vote under the LP banner.

His party mates whose districts received their share of last-minute releases included then Representatives Proceso Alcala (now agriculture secretary) and Lorenzo Tañada III of Quezon’s second and fourth districts.

Alcala’s constituency was given P560 million, while Tañada’s district was allocated P220 million.

The first and third districts, represented by Danilo Suarez and Mark Enverga, respectively, received P5 million and P120 million.

Suarez was one of Arroyo’s staunchest allies.

Some P570 million was released to the small province-lone district of Biliran, represented then by Glenn Chong, who won as a Liberal but later switched to Arroyo’s Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino.

Quirino and the third district of Laguna received P130 million each. Junie Cua of Quirino and Maria Evita Arago were then LP members.

Cagayan’s third district, whose representative was LP’s Manuel Mamba, was allocated P20 million.

Mamba serves as President Aquino’s liaison in Congress.

There was just a sprinkling of LP members in the House then. Arroyo allies dominated the chamber.

Aquino allies whose districts did not get even a peso from Arroyo’s 11th-hour disbursements included Joseph Emilio Abaya (now transportation secretary) of Cavite, Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo, Ruffy Biazon (former customs commissioner) of Muntinlupa, and Alfonso Umali of Mindoro Oriental.

The lone district of Misamis Occidental was given P19.8 million. Amelita Villarosa, another Arroyo close ally, was its representative then.

Other Arroyo allies received much bigger amounts, including Martin Romualdez of Leyte’s first district, P735 million; Exequiel Javier of Antique, P636 million; Al Francis Bichara of Albay’s second district, P633 million; and Mark Mendoza of Batangas’ fourth district, P412 million.

Two provinces, Leyte and Albay, were given more than P1 billion each.

A total of P10.6 billion was released to a select group of allies and LP members as well between mid-February and June 25, just five days before Arroyo ended her nine-year presidency.

The June 25 disbursements included P268 million for the first district of Camarines Sur, represented by Arroyo son Diosdado.

The releases are reflected in documents given to the good government committee of the House of Representatives by Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson.

Going over the disbursement list, Singson said he was surprised that “small districts received huge allocations, much more than large districts.”

He said he was also surprised that the disbursements were made in violation of a condition in the budget that Congress should first find revenue sources, since the appropriations were “congressional initiatives,” meaning lawmakers inserted them during the budget consideration process.

Joaquin Lagonera was Arroyo’s last budget secretary. He succeeded Rolando Andaya Jr., who resigned on Feb. 28, 2010 to run again for Camarines Sur congressman.