Speaker to confer with Abad on Pabling’s PDAF

CEBU, Philippines - House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. is set to discuss with Budget Secretary Florencio Abad the status of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of former Cebu second district congressman Pablo “Pabling” Garcia that is deposited in the Capitol’s account as a trust fund amounting to P72.8 million.

Belmonte earlier confirmed the request of Garcia to return the funds to its source, which is the House of Representatives.

“The money is useless to the province as it is a trust fund which cannot be touched,” Belmonte said.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III said that he is still studying the request of Garcia.

Personally, Davide said he prefers the funds to remain in the Capitol’s account so it will be distributed to the recipients which are the 15 towns of the second congressional district.

“Mas maayo dili na lang tingale aron magamit pa gyud na diri sa kalungsoran,” Davide said.

On June 25, Garcia requested his daughter, then governor and now third district congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia, for the “immediate rescission and cancellation of said funding requests for disbursement.”

When Gwen was suspended last December 19, 2012 for six months, Garcia had problems  disbursing the funds with the assumption of the Vice Governor Agnes Magpale as acting governor.

Magpale refused to act on Garcia’s several request for fund disbursements.

In his answer to Magpale’s query regarding the matter, Abad said that “Province of Cebu as administrator of the fund is responsible in ensuring that the disbursement thereof is consistent with the purpose/s specified by the trustor, in this case the proponent legislator.”

“Considering that, as a result of the devious and ugly maneuverings and machinations of certain Provincial Officials, led by then acting Governor Magpale, it appears that the disbursement of the several funding requests may no longer be implemented,” Garcia said prompting his request for the return of the funds.

Gwen tried to release her father’s PDAF during her last day of office at the Capitol but failed because of the absence of the provincial treasurer who needed to sign the voucher.

Some town mayors of the second district of the Province of Cebu are still hoping they will get the funds from their former congressman. (FREEMAN)