Suarez wants Conditional Cash Transfer program suspended

House minority leader Danilo Suarez. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — House minority leader Danilo Suarez wants the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program suspended once politicians kick off their campaign for the 2013 midterm elections.

He said that his request was based on the minority bloc’s concern that the CCT could be used in campaigns for election.

“Our fear that it could be used in the campaign is already happening,” said Suarez.

“Darating ho yung mga tumatanggap ng benefits, nandun din ho yung mga kandidato ng Liberal Party, eh kung hindi pa ho kampanyahan ito at influence I don’t know how we can identify these kind of actions,” he said, adding that such activities happened in Lucena City.

(The beneficiaries would show up at gatherings attended by Liberal Party candidates and if this is not campaigning and…)

The legislator recalled that Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. has described the CCT as a political program.

To remove suspicion that the program is being used for political purposes, Suarez said the government can either give the cash transfer in advance or suspend it and distribute it after the political exercise.

Such a method of releasing CCT funds would be “a very transparent way of saying that these funds would not be used for election purposes,” added Suarez.