Secretary Abad mobbed by UP students protesting against Aquino’s ‘pork barrel’

Secretary Abad mobbed by UP students protesting against Aquino’s ‘pork barrel’

DBM Sec. Butch Abad INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was mobbed by protesters Wednesday night after a forum in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

According to Vencer Crisostomo, chair of Anakbayan, UP students hurled their placards, crumpled papers and coins at Abad when he exited the auditorium of the UP School of Economics.

Abad was a speaker, together with representatives of CODE-NGO, in a forum on the 2015 budget. In a statement, Anakbayan said Abad defended the Disbursement Acceleration Program and President Benigno Aquino III’s pork barrel.

“Some who were able to get close hurled paper at his face and said ‘ito para sa mga ninakawan niyo!’ (This is for those you have stolen money from); he could not easily enter his car and his vehicle was blocked. As he boarded his vehicle, a student got close and grabbed him from the back by his collar,” Crisostomo posted on Facebook.

A video of the incident was posted where protesters shouted “Butch Abad panagutin” (Hold Butch Abad accountable) and “pork barrel ni Aquino ibasura” (junk President Aquino’s pork barrel).

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