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CAVITE, Philippines – “Maybe if President Aquino pushed for the FOI bill, this would have been all out in the open, no more problem.”
Resigned Sen Juan Miguel Zubiri and other candidates of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) turned the tables on the administration slate.
UNA senatorial bets lamented the release of a Commission on Audit (COA) report showing that UNA leaders Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and Senate President Pro-tempore Jinggoy Estrada used their pork barrel to help what turned out to be a dubious non-government organization.
The 2011 COA report had the same finding for Sen Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr, and former Buhay Rep Rene Velarde. COA found questionable the release of a total of P197.4 million of Priority Development and Assistance Fund (PDAF) to a certain Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc (PFI).
Vice President Jejomar Binay’s daughter, Nancy, was first to relate Congress’ failure to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill to the issue.
The House of Representatives failed to pass the bill before adjourning session for the campaign period in February.
“In the first place, we are not yet sure if the NGO that got the pork barrel was really bogus. Senate President Enrile’s statement was everything was accounted for. PDAF is fine as long as there’s transparency that’s why the FOI is so important but apparently, it’s not a priority so it did not pass in this Congress,” Binay told reporters in Filipino before a sortie here on Thursday, February 28.
“If it were passed, it would be for everybody, not selective, just 3 [senators] but for all,” said Binay.
Binay was referring to President Benigno Aquino III’s refusal to certify the bill as urgent despite a campaign promise to push for its passage. The Palace had said it was waiting for debates in the House to move forward.
Like Binay, Zubiri said he supports the FOI bill.
“We should pass this so we will know where the money went.”
The FOI bill aims to institutionalize transparency and accountability by giving the public access to government records and information, and recognizing the people’s right to know.
Every week, new issue?
Like UNA campaign manager Navotas Rep Toby Tiangco, Zubiri also pointed to a pattern of attacks against UNA.
“We notice a concerted effort to bring out various propaganda, all at once. Every week, there’s a new issue against the people we’re with in UNA and it saddens me because instead of discussing poverty, the problem of our countrymen, what happens is we respond to the black propaganda,” Zubiri said.
Former Sen Ernesto Maceda said the attacks began with Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile but eventually involved the senatorial bets.
“Apparently, there is a concerted campaign against the Senate President. This is probably the 4th or 5th issue that has come out. It’s good there’s an issue against him so they can bring it all out and it will end.”
Enrile has drawn flak for his selective release of Senate funds, the supposedly inaccurate claims in his memoir, and alleged links to the importation of used cars in Port Irene, Cagayan despite a Supreme Court order prohibiting it.
Maceda added, “Definitely, the dirty tricks are coming out. There are so many text blasts or text issues that have been centered on Jack Enrile for one, on Migz Zubiri. They think all is fair in love, war and politics. That’s how it is.”
Asked about the legitimacy of issues raised in the COA report, Maceda said, “How many COA reports have come out and resulted in actual convictions? Maybe hundreds of COA reports have come out. In the fertilizer fund scam, there were so many COA reports but still, nothing happened.”
Maceda reiterated that critics should not hit Sen Enrile and Estrada because they are not even candidates in the first place.
The two though have relatives running under UNA: Enrile’s son, Cagayan Rep Jack Enrile, and Estrada’s brother, San Juan Rep JV Ejercito.
While UNA accused LP of orchestrating the black propaganda, the ruling party said blaming Team PNoy is absurd.
Sen Gregorio Honasan II, a close ally of Enrile and Sen Estrada, also questioned the timing of the release of the COA report.
Honasan said, “Ang magdedesisyon ay ‘di survey, ‘di COA. Ang magdedesisyon ay taumbayan.” (The one who will decide is not survey, not COA but the people.) – Rappler.com
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