Magpale on Pabling’s PDAF: “I’m just careful”

CEBU, Philippines - Acting governor Agnes Magpale said that she is just very careful about the release of checks out of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of second district Rep. Pablo Garcia deposited as trust fund of the Capitol.

In an interview over Bantay Radyo yesterday, Magpale said that she still has to review the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to determine the specific purpose of the funds amounting to P56.3 million.

SARO is a specific authority issued to one or more identified agencies to incur obligations not exceeding a given amount during a specified period for the purpose indicated.

It shall cover expenditures the release of which is subject to compliance with specific laws or regulations or are subject to separate approval or clearance by competent authority.

Magpale said that by reviewing the SARO, it will also be determined who are the officials accountable on the release of checks to recipients.

Upon the query of Magpale, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad reportedly replied that the Cebu Provincial Government should be the one to supervise the disbursement of Garcia’s congressional funds since it was deposited under its account.

“The Province of Cebu, as administrator of the funds, is responsible in ensuring that the disbursement thereof  is consistent with the purpose/s specified by the trustor, in this case the proponent legislator,” said Abad in a letter to Magpale.

Abad said that Garcia, as the proponent legislator, has the “authority to identify the beneficiaries as well as the priority development programs and projects to be charged against the PDAF.”

Magpale also suspected the huge amount of P55 million for the municipality of Dumanjug while other towns in the second district only have the appropriated amount ranging from P20,000 to P500,000.

The mayor of Dumanjug, Nelson Garcia, is the son of Rep. Pablo Garcia.

No settlement has been arrived at a dialogue facilitated by the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas between Garcia and the Provincial Government under the management of Magpale.

Magpale’s representatives refused to accede to the request of Garcia to release the P56.3 million pork barrel funds he had kept in trust with the Capitol.

Garcia personally went to the anti-graft office while Magpale was represented by lawyers Dara Acusar, Chad Estella, and Magnificus Cañete.

Acusar, Capitol spokesperson for legal and media matters, said that the conference yesterday with the Ombudsman between their party and of Garcia was to discuss the concern of the P56.3 million PDAF of the legislator which he said was “illegally and capriciously” held by Magpale.

Garcia said that his PDAF went to the Capitol’s trust fund but with Magpale’s taking hold of the Provincial Government as acting governor, checks for the towns and barangays in his district were held.

Acusar said though that Magpale will be complying with PDAF regulations but would also include its provision that its allocation is not unlimited.

With this, Acusar said that it should be specifically identified where the budget would be allocated to and the projects it is intended to be spent.

Magpale will be identifying first the beneficiaries of the PDAF. “But for sure it will be for the second district.” —/JPM (FREEMAN)