Las Piñas to COA: Unused P47.8-M ‘pork’ returned

MANILA, Philippines - The Las Piñas City government has returned its unused Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund of P47.8 million to the National Treasury last March, officials said yesterday.

Mayor Vergel Aguilar issued the statement after the Commission on Audit released a report stating that the city government has yet to return the unused PDAF, which has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

The city is the beneficiary of the PDAF funds of former senator Manuel Villar, Rep. Mark Villar and Sen. Cynthia Villar. The fund was supposed to finance the repairs of health centers and medical assistance to residents.

City treasurer Rizal del Castillo told The STAR that the unused PDAF generated P3.6 million in interest from 2008 to 2013 and the city government will turn this amount over to the National Treasury as well.

“What we have requested is they give us more time to determine how much of the interest should be returned since the unused PDAF was mixed with funds of the city,” Aguilar said.