Enrile, Estrada used pork for dubious NGO – COA

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Sen Jinggoy Estrada, Sen Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, and former Buhay Rep Rene Velarde used their pork barrel to help what turned out to be a dubious nongovernment organization, according to a 2011 Commission on Audit report.

A total of P194.7 million of Priority Development and Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel was funneled to a certain Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc. (PFI), which the COA found questionable. It should have been disqualified as recipient of government funds, it said.

The NGO has a number of tax identification numbers. Its address is also questionable, according to COA. The report covered disbursements in 2009 and 2010.

“Based on the information above, the validity and accuracy of the documents submitted by PFI were doubtful which also put to question its legal personality,” COA said in its report.

The transfer of funds from the lawmakers to the NGO was multilayered.

Enrile, Estrada, Revilla and Velarde allocated a total of P206-M to the Department of Agriculture (DA). The department later released P201 million of the funds to a certain ZNAC Rubber Estate Corp (ZREC), which gave P195 million to Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc. The NGO is the final recipient.

“The Offices of Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla and Congressman Rene Velarde all nominated Pangkabuhayan Foundation, Inc. (PFI) to implement their projects,” COA report said.

Enrile gave a total of P74.69 million.

Estrada gave a total of P106.7 million.

Revilla gave a total of P9.7 million.

Velarde gave a total of P3.88, according to the report.

The Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc listed its address in Roces Avenue corner Quezon Avenue Quezon City but the programs are implemented all over the country — Ilocos Norte, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Iloilo, Camiguin, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Zamboanga City and Basilan.

The NGO had 5 different different tax identification numbers submitted to various government agencies — Bureau of Internal Revenue and Securities and Exchange Commission.

“There were no recorded liabilities, thus the fund balance was equal to the total assets.  From the financial statements for 2006 to 2008 … that there was no property, plant and equipment account, thereby casting doubt as to how the Foundation operated its business without any office equipment, furniture and fixtures which are essential in carrying out the day to day operations of a Company,” auditors also noted. – Rappler.com