Bayan bares DAP documents, says Aquino ‘cannot invoke good faith’
Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Amid questions on who should be held liable for the now unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), a militant group released documents supposedly holding President Benigno Aquino III accountable.
“We have proof. Aquino is accountable for DAP because he signed and approved the release of billions of pesos from 2011 to 2013,” Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said in a statement.
“His signature appears on the requests for release of funds submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which were also signed and endorsed by (Budget Secretary Florencio) Abad,” he added.
Bayan’s e-mailed statement to media included photographs of memoranda bearing the signature of the President.
Reyes said the documents were included in the DBM’s submissions to the Supreme Court.
Article continues after this advertisementOne memorandum dated October 12, 2011 was from Abad, asking Aquino to approve “FY 2011 Proposed Disbursement Acceleration Program (Projects and Sources of funds).”
Article continues after this advertisementThe document, showing the breakdown of the P72.11 billion in funds to be realigned, had the President’s signature, also dated October 12, 2011.
“We call on the people to relentlessly demand accountability in the issue of DAP. A serious offense was committed by the President and his Budget Secretary,” Reyes said.
“He cannot invoke ‘good faith,’ not when he knew during his days as a Senator that the impoundment and realignment of funds was wrong. Aquino cannot lie his way out of this one. He will have to face the people’s protest,” the Bayan secretary general said.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer earlier quoted former National Treasurer Leonor Briones saying “written instruction” from the President directing the implementation of DAP . She said it would prove that Abad was not acting on his own and was following instructions from Aquino.
It was on Tuesday that the Supreme Court declared parts of DAP unconstitutional:
1. The withdrawal of unobligated allotments from the implementing agencies, and the declaration of the withdrawn unobligated allotments and unreleased appropriations as savings prior to the end of the fiscal year and without complying with the statutory definition of savings contained in the General Appropriations Acts;
2. The cross-border transfers of the savings of the Executive to augment the appropriations of other offices outside the Executive;
3. The funding of projects, activities and programs that were not covered by any appropriation in the GAA;
4. The use of unprogrammed funds despite the absence of a certification by the National Treasurer that the revenue collections exceeded the revenue targets for non-compliance with the conditions provided in the relevant GAA.
Malacañang spokespersons declined to comment until they have read the full text and studied the decision.
DAP Memorandum
DAP Memorandum
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