People are indeed having second thoughts now on whether democracy is good for us. Since we became a democratic republic, our governments have been run like “hell” by the leaders we put into office. But the current happenings under PNoy administration undoubtedly show the most number of abnormalities and anomalies in a democratic form of government that invariably cause us to lose hope and have doubts on whether we can still have a government of, by and for the people.
Standing out most prominently in the PNoy regime is the illegal use of public funds through the “pork barrel system.” Time and again, especially at the start of his term, it has already been suggested that the Congressional pork barrel should be abolished because it is the biggest source of corruption in government and the proliferation of “patronage” politics that have resulted in bad governance and the perpetuation of political dynasties.
Unfortunately and disgustingly however, PNoy completely ignored the suggestion. On the contrary, he even increased the Congressional pork denominated as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) three times, from P9 billion in the previous administration to P27 billion. It is already of common knowledge that even in the past this fund has been the source of huge kickbacks that have enriched so many members of Congress as confirmed by the Napoles plunder case. By increasing it, PNoy has thus increased the opportunity of getting bigger kickbacks and enhanced his ability to control and dominate a supposedly independent branch of government empowered to enact laws.
The worst part here is that in 2011, after only one year in office, PNoy and his minions particularly his Department of Budget and Management Secretary even surreptitiously created another kind of “pork” amounting to about P227 billion supposedly for the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) of his administration. With this new presidential pork barrel PNoy has even earned the moniker of being the “pork barrel king” who is the counterpart of Napoles who has been dubbed as the “pork barrel queen.”
In fact recent Commission on Audit report shows that PNoy released DAP funds totaling P229.6 million to forty six (46) members of the House of Representatives on December 22, 2011 just ten days after they signed the impeachment complaint of former Chief Justice Corona. These are circumstances clearly and indubitably showing these DAP funds have been used as means to “convince” (or as others more blatantly say, “to bribe”) the 46 members of the Lower House to sign the impeachment complaint that eventually led to the ouster of Corona.
In this connection, COA should perhaps also find out whether members of Congress have been “convinced” to approve and enact PNoy’s other pet legislations after being sweetened with the DAP funds. COA should also make a report on whether releases of DAP funds were made immediately before or after the passage of the controversial RH law that PNoy aggressively pushed, the Law increasing the Sin Tax and the Enhanced Basic Education Act or the K-12 Law. The circumstances under which these laws have been passed somehow point to such possibility.
Another noticeable anomaly in this regard is that per COA report, the P229.6 million was used to purchase milk for the “milk feeding program” of these 46 members of the House of Representatives who signed the impeachment complaint. P229.6 million worth of milk simply staggers the imagination. But more staggering to the imagination of most people is why members of Congress also have their own milk feeding programs when their main and only function is the enactment of laws.
Most intriguing and worth further looking into about this COA report is that P53 million of these DAP funds have been released for the milk feeding program of a Non-Government Organization (NGO) headed by Aquino’s sister Victoria Elisa “Viel” Dee and her father-in-law, Howard Dee. Maybe the funds have been really put to good use but such release by PNoy in favor of a sister definitely cast doubt on the reputed integrity and honesty of Aquino family.
It is thus quite clear that under this administration, we have seen that these funds have been used anomalously instead of purportedly promoting the peoples’ welfare. People have already seen how our past and present legislators have been corrupted and unduly influenced in the performance of their legislative functions with the use of the PDAF and the DAP. People have somehow grudgingly accepted the reality that members of Congress have been allocated these funds for purposes that have nothing to do at all with their legislative function but more as an aid to their re-election. These are indeed serious aberrations in the workings of our democracy.
But the most serious abnormality and anomaly happening right now is that after the Supreme Court (SC) has declared both the PDAF and DAP unconstitutional, PNoy and his men seem to have disregarded the SC rulings and even threatened to clip the SC powers using Congress for this purpose. In fact some of PNoy’s cabinet officials have boasted in an executive session of a congressional committee that the PDAF still exists. And with respect to DAP, all sorts of pressures are now being exerted on the SC to reconsider its unanimous ruling even to the extent of removing from its control, the Judiciary Development Fund.
There is indeed is too much concentration of power in our present Chief Executive. And what is more dangerous here is that he very self righteous and believes that he can use any means fair or foul as long as he thinks that his purpose is supposedly good.
These aberration and abnormalities have driven our people back to the streets again to rally against PNoy and his adamant refusal to abolish pork. And so today millions will converge at the Luneta. See you all there.
E-mail: attyjosesison@gmail.com