ILOILO City—Like his former boss, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Iloilo Representative Augusto “Boboy” Syjuco is crying persecution.
On his 68th birthday party on Sunday, Syjuco, a close ally of Arroyo, decried the nonrelease of his P70-million annual Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), blaming his political rivals who are close to President Benigno Aquino III.
“The people of my district, especially the poor ones, are suffering due to the nonrelease of my PDAF because of two ‘evil ones’ who have the ears of the President,” Syjuco said in impassioned speech before around 500 of his supporters who included municipal and barangay (village) officials of Iloilo’s second congressional district.
Syjuco did not name those he blamed for the non-release of his PDAF funds but said they were “poisoning the mind” of the President.
A former director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) during the Arroyo administration, Syjuco is facing various graft charges for alleged anomalies including overpricing and “ghost” projects at Tesda reaching hundreds of millions of pesos.
Syjuco claimed that of the 284 congressmen, he was one of only five representatives whose PDAF was not released.
The others were Negros Representatives Ignacio Arroyo, brother-in-law of the former president; and her sons Ang Galing party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo and Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo; and Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay.
Syjuco said his PDAF has not been released since April this year despite several letters and appeals to the Department of Budget and Management.
“I was told by certain officials with whom I was following up that there is an order from above to hold back my PDAF,” Syjuco told reporters at the sidelines of his birthday party.
But he said he did not believe that the withholding of his PDAF is due to his closeness and friendship with the former president.
He pointed out that most of the 30 members of the House minority bloc, most of whom were Lakas members, have received their PDAF.
“Even (former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) has received hers,” Syjuco said.
He lamented the non-release of the funds saying he had not been even critical of the present administration.
“I have been quiet. I want the President to succeed. But it is my constituents who are suffering from all this,” Syjuco said.
Syjuco also confirmed that he has left Lakas on December 5 and joined the Nacionalista Party (NP) led by Senator Manuel Villar.
He said the NP would have 40 congressmen by February aside from the five members in the Senate.