Abad appears in Senate with Cabinet execs in tow

Cabinet officials came to the Senate probe on DAP to show their support for Budget Secretary Florencio Abad. MAILA AGER/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Administration officials came to the Senate on Thursday to show their support for beleaguered Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, who is at the center of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) controversy.

Abad arrived at the session hall of the Senate shortly before the 9:30 a.m. schedule hearing of the committee on finance.

“Katotohanan lang naman ang sasabihin ko [I will only tell the truth],” Abad told reporters before the start of the hearing.

Several Cabinet members and Palace officials also arrived ahead of Abad and they were the following:

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Social Secretary Corazon Soliman, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Agrarian Secretary Virgilio Delos Reyes, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan, and MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino.

Malacang spokesman Edwin Lacierda and his deputy, Abigail Valte, and the head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, Manuel Mamba, also came to the Senate.

Singson said he came to the Senate to show his support for Abad.

Asked if all Cabinet members were asked to come to the Senate, Singson said only those agencies that benefited from funds under the DAP.