COA Report: Lawmakers and their pork

Carmela Fonbuena

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As a senator under the Arroyo administration, President Aquino himself got P40-M in pork barrel for 'hard projects'

MANILA, Philippines – Different sets of lawmakers were identified by the Commission on Audit (COA) according to reported questionable disbursement of their pork barrel from 2007 to 2009.

But at least one set of data in the COA report is now being questioned: the alleged P3-B allocation for former Compostela Valley Rep Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora.

Senators are entitled to P200-M PDAF for 3 years, while a member of the House of Representatives is entitled to P70-M for the same period.

Here are some of the highlights of the COA special audit:

            

74

legislators exceeded their allocations

8

members of the House of Representatives allocated funds outside their respective districts:

  • Former Speaker Prospero Nograles
  • Former Compostela Valley Rep Manuel Zamora
  • Former Albay Rep Edcel Lagman
  • Former Cebu City Rep Antonio Cuenco
  • Former Lanao del Sur Rep Faysah Dumarpa
  • Former Misamis Occidental Rep Marina Clarete
  • Former Tarlac Rep Monica Prieto-Teodoro
  • Former Las Piñas Rep and now Sen Cynthia Villar

 

Biggest allocations to members of the House of Representatives

P3.2 B

pork barrel released to then Compostela Valley Rep Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora, the biggest allocation for a lawmaker. But this finding is being questioned by no less than Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. The bulk of P3 billion was supposedly allocated in 2007 for hard projects nationwide. 

READ: Speaker: Possible COA error in Way Kurat’s P3B

P604.5 M

released to then Speaker Prospero Nograles of Davao City. It is the 2nd biggest allocation for a representative.

P395 M

released to Mandaluyong Rep Neptali Gonzales II, who got the 3rd biggest allocation for a representative.

 

 

 

Biggest allocations to Senators

 

P904.5 M

released to then Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, the biggest allocation for a senator. He became Senate President in 2007, ousting Sen Manuel Villar.

 

P862 M

released to then Sen Edgardo Angara. In the 2007 elections, he ran under President Gloria Arroyo’s Team Unity ticket.

 

P853 M

released to Sen Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, a stalwart of President Arroyo’s political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

 

P40 M

released to then Sen Benigno Aquino III for hard projects. His mother, the late President Cory Aquino, previously called for the resignation of then President Arroyo.

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