Roxas asked for detailed accounting of how PNP spent P3.2B in DAP funds

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas: Explain. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–The Coalition of Filipino Consumers on Wednesday demanded that Interior Secretary Mar Roxas explain how the Philippine National Police spent the P3.2 billion it had received from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which the Supreme Court has struck down.

Perfecto L. Tagalog, secretary general of the coalition, said that if the fund was spent in good faith, even as the Aquino administration continues to defend the DAP, he said there should be a detailed accounting to show how the PNP spent the money.

“The PNP’s claim that it did not know that the money came from the DAP is unacceptable,” Tagalog said in an interview.

He said his group wanted a detailed accounting for the P128.2 million for the construction of 20 new police stations; the first tranche of releases intended for the hiring of nonuniformed personnel amounting to P860.7 million; the P115.556 million for the implementation of the P1,000 per capita/personnel for every police station pursuant to Special Provision No. 8 of the 2011 General Appropriations Act; the P8.722 million for the construction of the PNP Crisis Action Force building in Camp Crame; and the P45 million allotted to the Department of Public Works and Highways for the construction of the PNP Maritime Group Training facility in Mabini town, Batangas province.

“We want Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to order the leadership of the PNP to account for the funds. If [the PNP leadership] cannot, then he who has administrative control [over] the PNP must do the disclosure,” Tagalog said.

Already explained 

When sought for comment, Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, spokesman for the PNP, said the PNP had already explained how the funds from the DAP were spent, up to the last centavo.

But the PNP is ready to explain again and anytime in the interest of the public, Sindac said.

Of the P3.2 billion earmarked for the PNP from the DAP, only 11.7 percent was “obligated” or spent by the PNP for the projects allotted under the program, he said.

“This is a stage in the history of the PNP where spending of funds, whether from the DAP or the General Appropriations Act, for us is at its most transparent. The PNP is even being used as a bench model in government procurement,” he said.

Groups attacking PNP 

But Sindac questioned the motives of the groups demanding an explanation for the DAP funds given to the PNP, saying the police were aware of “white papers” and groups attacking the PNP.

“I refuse to dignify these groups with a comment, but as far as transparency is concerned, the PNP leadership is transparent,” Sindac said.

Tagalog said his group wanted an explanation because the consumers were the people, and the coalition’s members included PNP personnel.

The coalition was established in 2013, and now has nearly half a million members, he said.