74 solons exceeded PDAF by ‘hundreds of millions’

Former Compostela Valley Congressman Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora carries the ballot box during the joint session in Congress. PDI PHOTO/EDWIN BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines – Seventy-four lawmakers got more than their share of the Priority Development Assistance Fund by “hundreds of millions” from 2007-2009, the Commission on Audit disclosed Friday.

In a televised press conference, COA Chairperson Gracia Pulido-Tan the 74 legislators, whom she didn’t name, “significantly exceeded” their allocations of P200 million for senators and P70 million for congressmen. (INQUIRER.net has uploaded the complete report for our readers’ reference)

“When we say labis-labis – makikita nyo po yun sa report namin ng full – hindi po isang milyon, limang milyon ang labis. Hundreds of millions. At meron ding isa tayong mambabatas na tumanggap ng halos P3 bilyon (When we say significantly exceeded – you’ll see that in our report in full – it doesn’t mean just one million, five million in excess. Hundreds of million. And we have one lawmaker who received almost P3 billion),” she said.

Tan released the report in the wake of the controversy allegedly involving several lawmakers and government officials and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind in a scam concerning the release of billions of pesos of pork barrel funds to bogus nongovernment organizations (NGOs).

According to the COA’s special audit report on the PDAF and Various Infrastructure including Local Projects (VILP), former Representative Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora exceeded his PDAF allocation by P2.998 billion in 2007 and P11.6 million in 2008.

The almost P3 billion release in 2007 was intended for the “implementation of projects nationwide” as mentioned in a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Pulido-Tan also pointed out that there were projects implemented outside legislative districts.

Zamora, for example, had asked for the implementation of projects nationwide while Representative Edcel Lagman who represents Albay had P60.5 million-worth of projects in 28 barangay (villages) in Quezon City. He also allocated P20.5 million in Nueva Ecija and P5 million in Pampanga.

Senator Cynthia Villar, who was then Las Piñas representative, also had a nationwide project while former Tarlac Rep. Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro requested for a project in Manila.

Then Speaker of the House and Davao City Rep. Prospero Nograles, on the other hand, had projects in Mandaluyong, Taguig, Bataan, Sorsogon, Masbate, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley and Davao del Sur.

Other congressmen listed were Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco, Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah Dumarpa, and Misamis Occidental Rep. Marina Clarete.

The six senators who exceeded the P200 million PDAF allocation per year were (in alphabetical order):

1. Edgardo Angara – Exceeded by P384.375 million in 2009
2. Jose “Jinggoy” Ejercito-Estrada – P136.85 million in 2008 and P265.3 million in 2009
3. Juan Ponce Enrile – P5 million in 2008 and P342.5 million in 2009
4. Manuel “Lito” Lapid – P13.6 million in 2008
5. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. – P65 million in 2008 and P204 million in 2009
6. Miriam Defensor-Santiago – P26.15 million in 2008

The 68 congressmen who exceeded P70 million were (in alphabetical order):

1.Bienvenido Abante Jr. (Manila, 6^th district)

2.Felix Alfelor Jr. (Camarines Sur, 4^th)

3.Thelma Almario (Davao Oriental, 2^nd)

4.Rommel Amatong (Compostela Valley, 2^nd)

5. Rodolfo Antonino (Nueva Ecija, 4^th)

6.Ma. Rachel Arenas (Pangasinan, 3^rd)

7.Juan Miguel Arroyo (Pampanga, 2^nd)

8.Benjamin Asilo (Manila, 1^st)

9.Amado Bagatsing (Manila, 5^th)

10.Rozzano Rufino Biazon (Muntinlupa, Lone)

11.Mar-Len Abigail Binay (Makati, 2^nd)

12.Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David (Manila, 4^th)

13.Narciso Bravo Jr. (Masbate, 1^st)

14.Mary Mitzi Cajayon (Caloocan, 2^nd)

15.Roberto Cajes (Bohol, 2^nd)

16.Ma. Laarni Cayetano (Taguig, Lone)

17.Erwin Chiongbian (Sarangani, Lone)

18.Marina Clarete (Misamis Occidental, 1^st)

19.Maria Isabele Climaco (Zamboango City, 1^st)

20.Junie Cua (Quirino, Lone)

21.Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, 2^nd)

22.Nelson Dayanghirang (Davao Oriental, 1^st)

23.Nanette Daza (Quezon City, 4^th)

24.Del De Guzman (Marikina City, 2^nd)

25.Jose De Venecia Jr. (Pangasinan, 4^th)

26.Matias Defensor Jr. (Quezon City, 3^rd)

27.Didagen Dilangalen (Maguindanao, 1^st)

28.Henry Dueñas Jr. (Taguig City, Lone)

29.Thomas Dumpit Jr. (La Union, 2^nd)

30.Robert Raymund Estrella (ABONO Partylist)

31.Neptali Gonzales II (Mandaluyong, Lone)

32.Nonato Eduardo Joson (Nueva Ecija, 1^st)

33.Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1^st)

34.Carmelo Lazatin (Pampanga, 1^st)

35.Julio Ledesma IV (Negros Occidental, 1^st)

36.Reno Lim (Albay, 3^rd)

37.Ma. Milagros Magsaysay (Zambales, 1^st)

38.Reylina Nicolas (Bulacan, 4^th)

39.Prospero Nograles (Davao City, 1^st)

40.Arrel Olaño (Davao del Norte, 1^st)

41.Emil Ong (N. Samar, 2^nd)

42.Pedro Pancho (Bulacan, 2^nd)

43.Candido Pancrudo Jr. (Bukidnon, 1^st)

44.Philip Pichay (Surigao del Sur, 1^st) – 2008

45.Prospero Pichay Jr. (Surigao del Sur, 1^st) – 2007

46.Arthur Pingoy Jr. (S. Cotabato, 2^nd)

47.Monica Louise Prieto-Teodoro (Tarlac, 1^st)

48.Carmencita Reyes (Marinduque, Lone)

49.Arturo Robes (San Jose del Monte City, Lone)

50.Herminia Roman (Bataan, 1^st)

51.Jose Antonio Roxas (Pasay City, Lone)

52.Alvin Sandoval (Malabon/Navotas, Lone)

53.Joseph Santiago (Catanduanes, Lone)

54.Rizalina Seachon-Lanete (Masbate, 3^rd)

55.Lorna Silverio (Bulacan, 3^rd)

56.Jose Solis (Sorsogon, 2^nd)

57.Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado (Bulacan, 1^st)

58.Marcelino Teodoro (Marikina City, 1^st)

59.Niel Tupas Jr. (Iloilo, 5^th)

60.Czarina Umali (Nueva Ecija, 3^rd)

61.Isidro Ungab (Davao City, 3^rd)

62.Edgar Valdez (APEC Partylist)

63.Luis Villafuerte (Camarines Sur, 2^nd)

64.Emmanuel Joel Villanueva (CIBAC Partylist)

65.Cynthia Villar (Las Pinas City, Lone)

66.Jose Yap (Tarlac, 2^nd)

67.Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora (Compostela Valley) – exceeded P2.998 billion in 2007 and P11.6 million in 2008

68.Ronaldo Zamora (San Juan, Lone)

Related Stories:

‘Way Kurat’ denies getting P3B in ‘pork’

Janet Lim-Napoles and the pork barrel scam

Gov’t execs, lawmakers urged to disclose transactions with Janet Lim-Napoles

P1-B pork of 13 solons ended up in JLN firms

 Originally posted at 3:12 p.m.