Justifying DAP is Aquino’s worst move, ex-supporter says

By: Bong Lozada - 10 years ago

President Benigno S. Aquino III. Ryan Lim / Malacañang File Photo

MANILA, Philippines—With President Benigno Aquino defending the legality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program on various occasions, one of his ardent critics said justifying it has been the Chief Executive’s worst flaw.

In an interview with Radyo INQUIRER 990 AM, Peachy Bretaña of Scrap Pork Network, said justifying, and defending, DAP does not make it less illegal.

“It’s the worst, trying to justify what is essentially wrong,” Bretaña said, whose group spearheaded the Million People March.

On July 1, the Supreme Court ruled that DAP was unconsitutional. With a convincing 13-1-0 vote, the high tribunal said that the executive department cannot transfer appropriations from one office to another.

Bretaña added that Aquino is not the sole person in justifying the DAP, sayingn that other officials are in cahoots with the Chief Executive to uphold the program’s consitutionality.

“I don’t understand how the President, and the others, justify the DAP and protect each other,” Bretaña said.

She, however, did not name names on who pulls the strings.

On July 23, during Apolinario Mabini’s 150th birth anniversary, Aquino turned the tables on the Supreme Court, saying it too benefitted from a DAP-like project in 2012.

As a former supporter of Aquino, Bretaña said that eventhough Aquino is in the wrong in defending the DAP, the President has such command of the Filipino language that he can easily convey his tomfoolery on the people.

Bretaña gave an unsolicited advice to Aquino as the high court processes Malacañang’s motion for reconsideration on the consitutionality of the DAP.

“Just shut up, let the court take its course,” Bretaña said.