MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday, July 21, that it used only a little more than a tenth of the its additional funds that turned out to have been sourced through the government’s controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

The PNP had 4 projects amounting to over P3.24 billion (US$ 74.6 million) funded under the spending program from 2011 to 2013. The Supreme Court (SC) on July 1 unanimously ruled that 3 schemes under the DAP were unconstitutional.

Of the P3.24 billion, only P379 million (US$ 8.7 million) or 11.7% percent was “obligated” or actually put into use, PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac told reporters.

The projects or activities included additional funds for PNP field units in 2011, construction of police stations in 2012, the transition investment plan for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2012, and the “operational transformation program” of 2013.

The disclosure was made a week after President Benigno Aquino III assailed the SC decision that struck down key acts under the program. The government has since asked the SC to reverse its ruling on the DAP. 

‘We’re not privy’

Sindac said the police force doesn’t always know where funds for approved projects are sourced.

“When we receive the special allotment release orders (SAROs), we don’t automatically know the source,” he said. He added that it is the budget department which determines where to get funds for projects or activities.

Sindac said the figures were based on records as of May 2014, almost a month before the SC’s decision.

Of the 4 projects, the biggest and most expensive was the 2013 “operational transformation program (OTP).” Sindac said the program included “Oplan Hilamos,” the purchase of patrol jeeps, and the procurement of assault riffles in preparation for the transfer of internal security operations from the armed forces to the PNP.

Oplan Hilamos is a project of the PNP and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to construct and rehabilitate police stations in the country. The PNP is under the DILG. 

The OTP was allocated over P2.86 billion, of which P27.4 million was used. Now that parts of the DAP were declared unconstitutional, Sindac said the PNP would have to find a different source for the funds they need. “Some of our activities and projects will have to wait,” he added.

Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor, spokesman for PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima, explained that most of the funds were not used right away, owing to the PNP’s strict procurement procedures.

Projects in 2011-2012

The DAP was a program that began in 2011, intended to realign savings and unused funds from slow-disbursing programs to fast-moving projects. The government said it was also a response to its underspending in the first few years of the Aquino administration.

The program only came under scrutiny after Senator Jinggoy Estrada criticized the program during a privilege speech, saying funds from this program were given to senators as incentive to vote for the impeachment of then Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“The PNP is a bit saddened by this development. We will have to plan again and we’ll have to submit our corresponding budget [for 2016],” Sindac said.

Unlike the 2013 OTP, most of the funds for the 3 projects in 2011 and 2012 were utilized.

The entire P115.6 million sourced to give additional funding to field police units in 2011 was “obligated” or used by the PNP. The funds were needed to meet the directive of the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to increase the budgets of field units.

In 2012, Robredo ordered that all regional, city, or police stations’ minimum monthly budget should be at least P1,000 per police personnel. Sindac said the activity was only sourced from DAP in 2011. In the following fiscal year, it was sourced from the PNP’s regular budget.

Almost the entire P136.4 million allocated for the 2013 ARMM transition investment plan was used. The project, said Sindac, included the construction of over 20 police stations in the ARMM.

Another P128.2 million was sourced to construct police stations in different regions throughout the country. Of the amount, Sindac said P103.8 million was used. – Rappler.com

*US$1 = P43.4