CEBU, Philippines - Former congressman Pastor Alcover Jr. of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy Partylist said he is willing to testify regarding the charges against Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad in connection with the release of the Disbursement Acceleration Program funds.
Alcover and ABAKADA Partylist Representative Jonathan dela Cruz are being eyed by the Citizens Crime Watch and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption to be the additional witnesses in the direct bribery and corruption charges to be filed against Abad.
“I’m willing, motug-an ko unsa ako nahibaw-an. We have to save this country. Di na ni mao, di na ni komedya, bilyon-bilyon na man ni,” Alcover told The FREEMAN.
Jose Malvar Villegas Jr., founding president and chairman of the CCW, said the testimony of the two witnesses, who earlier exposed that P15 million was given to each member of Congress who supported the impeachment of former Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona, could further strengthen their case against Abad.
During his incumbency in the 15th Congress, Alcover had faced expulsion proceedings before the House ethics committee for accusing President Benigno Aquino III of giving the 188 House members P1 million each for signing the impeachment complaint against Corona.
The lawmakers said it was unfair for Alcover to accuse them of receiving money from Aquino in exchange for supporting Corona’s impeachment.
Aside from claiming that the 188 signers of the impeachment move received P1 million each from Aquino, Alcover also said many of those who signed the Corona impeachment complaint did not even read it.
He also alleged that Abad has released P800 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund to Batanes, the latter’s home province.
The youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist and Youth Act Now! already filed plunder charges against Abad before the Office of the Ombudsman last week.
They alleged that Abad systematically misappropriated, converted, misused, and malversed public funds through the DAP funds.
The filing of the complaint came after the Supreme Court ruled last July 1, 2014 on the unconstitutionality of the DAP releases which was allegedly used to bribe senators and congressmen to favor the impeachment of Corona. (FREEMAN)