Syjuco asks SC to stop gov’t from using DAP for Bohol rehab

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco Jr. asked the Supreme Court to stop the government from using the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) to augment relief and rehabilitation operations in earthquake-hit areas in Central Visayas.

In his urgent motion filed Monday, Syjuco told the high court that DAP should not be used in helping the earthquake victims because DAP’s legality is still in question.

The government has intended to use DAP following the pronouncement of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad that the government’s calamity and contingency funds are almost depleted.

Abad, in a statement earlier, said rehabilitation of areas in Mindanao ravaged by typhoon Pablo, the world’s strongest storm last year, will cost P11 billion yet the calamity fund is only P7.5 billion for 2013.

Syjuco, however, argued that there is a remaining P6.95 billion calamity as posted in the website of the Department of Budget and Management.

“Constitutional doctrines must remain steadfast no matter what may be the tides of time. It cannot be simply made to sway and accommodate the call of situations and much more tailor itself to the whims and caprices of government and the people who run it,” the motion stated.

The former lawmaker maintained that DAP was not created by law even if it had the intention of expediting development in the countryside through infrastructure and social services projects.

An oral argument on the six anti-DAP petitions was scheduled on November 19.