Pablo John denies giving ‘pork’ to NGOs

Former congressman surprised why Nabcor named him in Senate probe

Former Cebu Rep. Pablo John Garcia yesterday denied coursing any funds from his pork barrel to non-governmnet organizations.

He said he was surprised why his name was mentioned in Thursday’s Senate blue ribbon committee hearing as among the congressmen who funneled his discretionary funds to to questionable NGOs through the National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor).

Garcia, who represented Cebu’s third district from 2007 up to June 30 this year, said that he never dealt with Nabcor or any NGO during his six year term.

“That is on record at the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) and you can view it online. Never have I given a portion of my PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) to any legitimate or illegitimate NGOs,” Garcia told Cebu Daily News.

Garcia was among five former Cebu congressmen whose names were mentioned in the ongoing Senate investigation on the P10 billion pork barrel fund scam.

Aside from Garcia, the president of Nabcor, Honesto Baniqued, also tagged former congressmen Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City south district), Antonio Yapha Jr. (Cebu 3rd district), Eduardo Gullas (Cebu 1st district), and Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu 6th district) as among those who released their PDAF through Nabcor as of May 21, 2009.

Garcia said he will look into how his name was mentioned in the Senate hearing. He said he is not aware of any projects from Nabcor in his district, but added that there may be other Nabcor projects there funded by the national government.

Garcia said his name never came out in any adverse report of the Commission on Audit.

“During my first term, I thought all along that pork barrel funds cannot be given to NGOs,” Garcia said.

He recalled that during the 2007 elections his opponents got entangled in a controversy involving a bogus Kasosyo Foundation where pork funds were released.

“I have been aware of that, and I thought when I became congressman, I made sure that I would not [get into] controversies involving NGOs,” Garcia said.

“At this time nga suko kaayo ang mga taw sa pork barrel (controversy). It is just unfair that my name (is dragged) into it because I never gave out a portion of my PDAF to NGOs, and it is all on record,” he added.

Garcia said several NGOs ranging from agriculture to charitable groups have asked for donations from his pork barrel but he never granted these requests.

“All of my PDAF since 2007 have all been channeled to local government units (LGUs) and the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and nothing else,” he said.

Garcia said his PDAF was released to the Cebu provincial government, LGUs in his district and the VSMMC as implementing agencies.

The DBM website shows Garcia’s P10 million PDAF was released to the towns of Tuburan and Balamban and Toledo City in 2009.

In 2010, P15 million went to Toledo City, the VSMMC and the Provincial Capitol.

The VSMMC releases were for the healthcare and medical needs of indigent patients from Garcia’s district while the LGU releases funded various socio-economic projects.

In 2011, Garcia’s P30 million PDAF went to Toledo City and the provincial capitol as well as VSMMC. Last year, P70 million was again given to LGUs including the Capitol and the VSMMC. The bulk of the fund went to the Department of Public Works and Highways for road projects.

Napoles to testify

Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday said that Janet Lim-Napoles, alleged mastermind of the P10 billion pork barrel scam, would be made to testify in the Senate blue ribbon investigation first before the whistleblowers “because she is in the center of all this.”

Arraignment reset

The Makati City Regional Trial Court has reset her arraignment to September 23.

The judge granted the petition of Napoles, who is detained at Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, for alleged serious illegal detention over the supposed abduction of her cousin and employee Benhur Luy, key witness in the P10 billion pork barrel scam for which Napoles has been tagged as the mastermind.

“She’s not going anywhere. There’s no danger or escape of flight. What is the deferment of a few days . . . arraignment if the end of justice would be served,” said Lorna Kapunan, Napoles’ lawyer. /Senior Reporter Dale G. Israel and Inquirer