MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is working on a detailed report on the projects funded under the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said DBM Secretary Florencio Abad may reveal the report on Thursday, July 24 at the Senate hearing on the DAP.
"Ang batid po natin ay tinatrabaho ng DBM ang pagkumpleto sa isang komprehensibong ulat hinggil sa mga detalye ng pagpondo ng mga proyekto mula sa DAP at maaari ding matalakay ito sa pagdinig na idaraos ng Senado sa darating na Huwebes," Coloma said at a press briefing.
Abad, considered as the brains behind the DAP, has been summoned by the Senate committee on finance to explain the details of the stimulus program.
Implemented by the Aquino administration from 2011 to 2013, the DAP was a program meant to boost the economy by allocating government savings to other projects.
The Supreme Court has declared key portions of the DAP as unconstitutional, saying "authors, proponents and implementors" of the DAP can be held liable "unless there are concrete findings of good faith in their favor by the proper tribunals."
Justice Arturo Brion also opined that it is "inconceivable" that Abad did not know the illegality or unconstitutionality of the DAP.
Read: SC Justice: Abad aware DAP tainted with unconstitutionality
The DBM has released an initial list of projects under the DAP following President Aquino's televised address in defense of the DAP.
Read: List: 116 projects funded under DAP