8 ex-, incumbent senators used ‘pork’ without procurement law—Estrada

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – At least four incumbent and former senators have allegedly used their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or “pork barrel” funds without complying with the procurement law, Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada disclosed on Wednesday, citing the Commission on Audit (COA) reports.

Estrada, in his speech, identified incumbent Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and former Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Manny Villar as among the legislators who contributed to the total of P1.2 billion worth of transactions with the local government units (LGUs).

But Estrada, who was charged with plunder for the alleged misuse of PDAF, wondered why the names of the four incumbent and former senators were not mentioned in the news.

“Bakit hindi nababangigit ang mga ito? Dahil ba sila ay kaalyado nila [Why are these things not being mentioned? Because they are allies]” asked Estrada.

“Pero hindi ko po sinasabi na sila ay nagkasala [But I’m not saying that they’re guilty],” he said, adding that this was only based on the COA report.

Aside from the four, Estrada also exposed the alleged irregularities in the use of “pork barrel” funds by House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales and former An Waray Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel.

Estrada said Gonzales accumulated at least P440 million PDAF in six years in office but based on COA reports, most of the funds went to the congressman’s district.

“In other words, his office is the implementor of his PDAF. That’s why he’s puhsing for PDAF to stay,” said Estrada.

The COA report, however, showed that 28 suppliers in Mandaulyong City denied having undertaken the projects which supposedly received the funds worth P28.74 million.

Estrada said the COA report also showed that Gonzales allegedly spent P6 million in Jollibee, a popular food chain.

“What’s this? P6 million worth of hamburger? Chicken joy and jolly hotdog? Why, this is really delicious,” said the senator.

The P6million , Estrada said, could buy about 2,000 hamburgers.

In the case of Noel , Estrada said the former partylist representative poured in millions of his PDAF to Gonzales’ district.

He said the COA report showed that P23 million of Noel’s PDAF did not comply with the procurement law and P19.6 million worth of transactions with suppliers had “questionable existence.”