Cuenco says ‘pork’ went to trucks, not cars

Former Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco yesterday said P7.6 million of his pork barrel that was supposed to buy goats in 2006 was used to buy trucks, not luxury cars.

“I would like to correct what I earlier told the media. My remaining PDAF of P7.6 million was not used to purchase (Toyota) Altis cars but a variety of vehicles,” he said.

He said mini fire trucks, garbage trucks, mini buses were among the vehicles purchased based on the request of barangays captains in the south district who were dispapointed when the original goat-raising project was “bungled” by Guadalupe barangay captain Eugenio “Jinjing” Faelnar.

“The bottomline is the money never passed my hands. When it was returned by Faelnar to the Department of Agriculture, at my insistence, it was realigned by the DBM for the purchase of vehicles,” he said.

The former House leader said the DBM disbursed the amount directly to the 10 barangays that requested for vehicles.

“I did not receive any kickbacks. I have not appropriated something unto myself. It was coursed through the regular agencies of the government,” Cuenco said.

He said Tisa barangay captain Eddie Cabulao confirmed getting a mini-bus.

George Rama of barangay Basak San Nicolas, said they were given a Toyota Innova van six years ago while Rustico Ignacio, barangay captain of Inayawan, said he chose a truck.

Another barangay captain of Labangon earlier denied receiving any vehicle. But it was his predecessor Dodo Abella who received a vehicle, said Cuenco.

Cuenco pointed out that the goat-raising project to be funded by a P14.7 million PDAF outlay never materialized because Faelnar changed plans and didn’t purchase hybrid, imported goats which barangay captains had recommended. On top of this, a P600,000 goat house was built in barangay Taptap in the north instead of Sudlon in the south.

Cuenco said the failure of the project was the reason he got mad at Faelnar .“To this day, we haven’t spoken to each other,” he told CDN.

Some barangay captains who read the CDN report about Cuenco shifting his PDAF to buy Toyota Altis sedans called him up to complain.

“The barangays chose for themselves what kind of vehicle they wish to have. I would like to apologize for saying that they got Altis cars from me,” said Cuenco. Faelnar is under investigation by the Ombudsman for the PDAF use. Cuenco was not named a respondent./Ador Vincent Mayol and Jose Santino S. Bunachita