MANILA, Philippines—The opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) scored Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda for showing bad faith in clearing Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
In a statement, UNA Secretary General Toby Tiangco said Malacañang showed “a-bad faith” when Lacierda alleged that Abad did not benefit from DAP.
“What Malacanang did was clearly in ‘A-bad faith,” Navotas Rep. Tiangco said.
He added the Aquino administration is clearing their “yellow allies” from controversies, among them the DAP and the alleged pork barrel scam led by purported mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
Tiangco even hinted that Aquino seemed scared that Abad would soon turn the tables on him.
UNA Secretary General Toby Tiangco. FILE PHOTO
“What cards does Abad have in his sleeves that the President is so scared of him? Is PNoy worried that Abad will take him down with him and tell all he knows?” Tiangco said.
“Malinaw na may tinatago ang Malacañang at agad pinapawalang-sala ang mga nasa likod ng DAP kahit wala pang imbestigasyon (It is clear that Malacañang is clearing those behind the DAP even without an investigation). Cover-up is never done in good faith,” he added.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Lacierda said Abad did not personally gain from the DAP, a savings impounding mechanism.
“Did Secretary Butch Abad squander the money? No. Was the money stolen? No. Very, very clear, categorical answers that neither acts happened. Did he personally gain from it? Not either,” Lacierda said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“My shallow inter[pretation]—shallow reading of plunder, you are required to have personal gain. And Secretary Butch Abad did not in any manner, shape or form, gain from any of these programs—funds from these programs,” he added.
Lacierda defended Abad, saying the Cabinet official only thought of a way to speed up the utilization of government funds through fast-moving projects.
He reiterated the government stand the SC ruling was only a “divergence” in opinion between the executive and the judiciary.
DAP funds, essentially an economic stimulus fund and a savings-impounding mechanism, have been criticized after Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada exposed the supposed presidential “pork barrel” funds were given allegedly as “incentives” to senators who voted to oust convicted Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Various groups lauded the Supreme Court as it ruled that some parts of DAP, criticized as the president’s “pork barrel,” as illegal.
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