PDAF’s defeat won’t mitigate corruption, says UP Professor
University of the Philippines vice president for public affairs Professor Prospero De Vera III CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/www.up.edu.ph
MANILA, Philippines—The defeat of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or “pork barrel” will not mitigate corruption, said Professor Prospero De Vera III, vice president for public affairs of the University of the Philippines, on Wednesday.
“I would separate the use of the pork barrel with corruption,” De Vera said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer 990AM.
De Vera, who is also faculty member of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance, said corruption is a result of the inability of government agencies to check abuses and the executive agencies having corrupt bureaucrats who connive with public officials to corrupt public funds.
De Vera said the PDAF has long been in the system but we never had corruption cases with the same magnitude as compared to the issue about Janet Lim-Napoles. De Vera cited such corruption controversies never exist because we have former legislators Jovito Salonga, Rene Saguisag and Aquilino Pimentel Jr who have integrity and government audit agencies who are seriously auditing.
“We have to be happy that the high court has already settled the issue (PDAF). The decision is very timely,” De Vera said.
De Vera argued that there is still significant discretion given to the President in the use of public funds refuting claims that the defeat of PDAF will weaken the capacity of the President.
“The President can still support his allies by getting them involved in the allocation and identification of projects implemented by the executive branch,” De Vera said.
De Vera said if the high court will also declare the Disbursement Acceleration Program as unconstitutional, then that will really tie the hands of the President.
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