Graft raps filed vs Sen. Cayetano for ‘pork’ misuse

Video by INQUIRER.net’s Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines—A complaint for graft and corruption has been filed with the Office of the Ombudsman against Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for the questionable use of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

In two separate complaints, Roderick Vera, one of the convenors of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Civil Liberties Inc. (PAACL), accused Cayetano of misusing his PDAF or pork barrel that was released to him from 2007 to 2009 and the overpriced purchase of multi-cabs in 2012.

Cayetano’s wife, Taguig City Mayor Maria Laarni Cayetano, is one of his co-respondents in the questionable purchase of multi-cabs. Cayetano has yet to comment on the charge

Prof. Roderick Vera shows to the media the complaint-affidavits he filed against Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and wife mayor Laarni Cayetano at the office of the Ombudsman. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

Vera, in his complaint, said that from 2007 to 2009, Cayetano received a total of P351 million as his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) from the Arroyo administration.However, despite having a national constituency, he focused spending of his PDAF to Taguig where his wife is the incumbent mayor.

Citing report from the Commission on Audit (COA), Vera said spending of Cayetano’s PDAF is tainted with the following irregularities:

·                 Procurements for Barangay (village) Ligid, Tipas, Taguig City were not supported with request from users, evaluation report on the need to procure certain items. Some items are outside the menu of project eligibility under the PDAF.

·                 The house numbering project, barangay firebuster and motorcycle with sidecar projects in Barangay Calzada, Tipas also were not supported with request from end-users. Suppliers for firebuster have no business to operate from 2007 to 2009.

·                 Procurements for Barangay Maharlika, Taguig City particularly of motorcycle with sidecar and ambulance also have no request from end-users and the amount used for its purchase appears bloated.

He added that in the years following the questionable procurements “the net worth of respondent Cayetano suddenly increased by almost 50 percent in 2011, that is, from P15.8 million in 2010 to P23.210 million in 2010.”

“However, based on the Saln (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth) and other available records of respondent Cayetano, the substantial and inordinate increase of almost P7.5 million in his net worth in 2011 is clearly not justified by his income as a public servant,” Vera said in his complaint.

On the other hand, aside from the senator and his wife, included in the second graft complaint are members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod-Ronette Franco, Aurelio Paolo Bartolome, Gamaliel San Pedro, Milagros Valencia, Roderick Carlos Papa, Estela Gasgonia, Baltazar Mariategue, Ricardo Jordan, Jaime Lagampa, Michelle Ann Gonzales, Carlito Ogalinola, Erwin Manalili, Edwin Eron, Jeffrey Morales, Rodil Marcelino and Rommel Tanyag.

Based on Vera’s complaint, Cayetano allegedly allotted P9 million from his PDAF as financial assistance to Taguig for the purchase of 18 multi-cabs.

In 2012, the 18 multi-cabs were purchased with a total cost of P8.9 million or P498,000 per multi-cab. However, prevailing market price for multi-cabs are P190,000 for double cab and P188,000 for 4×4 multi-cabs.

“Thus, the amount of P498,000 per multi-cab incurred or caused to be incurred by the respondents represents an overprice of more than P300,000 or almost 260 percent over the actual price of a brand new multi-cab,” Vera said.