Echiverri asks court to stop Malapitan’s use of ‘pork’

MANILA, Philippines - Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri and three other city officials have filed a petition with the court seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the alleged illegal use by Rep. Oscar Malapitan of his pork barrel funds supposedly to boost his candidacy in the May elections.

Echiverri said the Omnibus Election Code prohibits the release, disbursement and expenditure of public funds during the election period.

He said Commission on Elections Resolution No. 9660 issued last March 22, which allowed the release of Priority Development Assistance Fund was prone to abuse and could be used by congressmen to raise funds to advance their campaign using public money.

The mayor cited the complaint of nine residents of Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City who exposed to ABS-CBN and other media entities the alleged vote-buying scheme of Malapitan using his pork barrel funds with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

In their affidavits submitted to the regional trial court, Marilyn Joson, Arlyn Dizon, Amparo Tagapan, and Valerie Regalado said they were approached by staff members of Malapitan who offered them P3,000 for their support.

They said that Malapitan’s staff got their names and issued corresponding checks which they encashed at the DSWD-Batasan.

Although they received P2,600 each, they said they were asked to sign a document as proof that they received the entire value of the check.

Echiverri said this was a clear case of corruption and vote-buying.

Aside from him, the other petitioners were Echiverri’s son Councilor RJ Echiverri, barangay chairman Dionisio Gullarte, and Luis Razo.

The younger Echiverri is running for mayor against Malapitan.