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MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) ordered the provincial government of Bulacan to return to the national treasury P15.6 million from the unspent Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers.
The order is in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling in November 2013 that barred further releases of funds, also known as pork barrel, because they were unconstitutional. (READ: SC junks PDAF as unconstitutional)
In the past, the High Court upheld the system as constitutional but Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said the PDAF in the 2013 national budget was “a different animal” because it made the identification of a lawmaker’s project “mandatory” rather than “recommendatory.” The alleged misuse of the lawmakers’ discretionary funds as seen in the pork barrel scam allegedly perpetrated by businesswoman Janet Napoles sparked massive protests that sought the abolition of the PDAF. Napoles, along with senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, and Bong Revilla Jr have been detained over plunder and graft charges.
In its 2013 audit report, COA said the provincial government not only failed to use the funds, it also allowed the two-year validity of the Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) to expire without implementing the projects they were intended for.
The audit agency said, “For 3 to 5 years, the amount of P15.6 million…has not moved thus the validity of the SARO has expired. Likewise, we have noticed that P3.7 million pertained to PDAF of legislators who have either died or are no longer members of the present Congress.”
The bulk of the money was intended for the “purchase of drugs and medicines, acquisition of medical equipment, ambulance, construction of school buildings and financial assistance to indigent patients admitted in government hospitals.”
At the exit conference with auditors, provincial officials agreed to remit all previous years’ balances of the lump sum funds still in the provincial government’s accounts. COA said unused PDAF from 35 senators and members of Congress totaled P48.27 million. These were accumulated from 2008 to 2013 and should be returned to national government coffers, COA said.
Of the 35 legislators who gave part of their PDAF to Bulacan, the following had the biggest contributions to the province:
Legislator | Amount in Pesos | Years |
---|---|---|
Senator Teofisto Guingona | 22 million | 2011 and 2013 |
Representative Gavini Pancho | 6 million | 2013 |
Representative Reylina Nicolas | 2.59 million | 2008 |
Senator Francis Pangilinan | 2.48 million | 2008 |
Representative Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado | 2.16 million | No Date |
Senator Franklin Drilon | 2 million | 2008 |
Representative Weslie Gatchalian | 1.35 million | 2013 |
Representative Lorna Silverio | 1.29 million | 2008 |
Representative Arturo Robes | 1.26 million | 2011 |
Representative Neri Colmenares | 1.16 million | 2013 |
Senator Loren Legarda | 1 million | 2011 |
– Rappler.com
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