Vizcaya lawmaker’s pork goes to ghost recipients?

 BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) is investigating reports that Rep. Carlos Padilla’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel is going to non-existent recipients through a Manila-based foundation.

Susan Garcia, COA Special Audits Office director, said they are looking into the disbursement of Padilla’s PDAF to Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc., which is said to be conducting livelihood and skills training for farmers in this province.

The mayors of at least five towns here told COA that they were not aware of any training and distribution of livelihood kits and technology materials funded by Padilla’s PDAF through the foundation.

Local officials added that some of the supposed beneficiaries of the training were not residents of their respective municipalities.

“I don’t recognize any of the listed participants or names as our constituents. Definitely they are not residents of the municipality,” said Mayor Norma Miguel, whose Diadi town is one of the listed beneficiaries of Padilla’s PDAF.

Padilla did not respond to text messages when sought for comment.

COA also learned that the names in the supposed list of individual recipients of the program have no specific addresses.

The documents did not also state the amount of pork barrel funds used for the program for each municipality.

Each congressman is entitled to P70 million in pork barrel funds.