P90M in Cebu ‘pork’ projects unused–COA
CEBU CITY, Philippines—A total of P90.34 million worth of projects funded by the pork barrel of several lawmakers and budget allocations from some government agencies have yet to be implemented in Cebu province, the Commission on Audit (COA) has reported.
The 64 projects were from the period 2005 to 2014, state auditors said.
Of the total amount, P83,071,800.39 came from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel of four Cebu congressmen, eight senators, a party-list representative and a party-list group from 2009 to 2013.
In its 2014 audit report on Cebu province, the COA said the funds
—which remained unobligated or uncommitted by the end of a fiscal period—should be returned to the National Treasury after the Supreme Court declared the PDAF unconstitutional on Nov. 19, 2013.
Among the Cebuano congressmen, former second district Rep. Pablo Garcia had a PDAF allocation of P205,310,052 in 2012. However, only P155,917,814.25, or 76 percent, of the pork barrel was used.
The other Cebu congressmen who gave their PDAF to Cebu province were Benhur Salimbangon of the fourth district, Luigi Quisumbing of the sixth district and former Rep. Pablo John Garcia of the third district.
Among the eight senators who gave the province some pork, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. gave the most at P21 million in 2010, but only P12 million, or 53 percent, of it was used.
The other solons who gave Cebu their pork were Pia Cayetano, Juan Ponce Enrile, Antonio Trillanes, Franklin Drilon and Loren Legarda, and former Senators Francis Pangilinan and Manuel Villar.
Former Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño gave P1 million in 2013, as did the Akbayan party-list group.
In a legal opinion concurred in by Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega said PDAF covered by a notice of cash allocation prior to the Supreme Court decision may be implemented without qualification as to whether notices had been obligated at the time of the decision’s promulgation.
The COA audit team, however, said a further review of the unused PDAF funds should be conducted.
“We would like to reiterate that PDAF funds still unobligated when they were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court are to be returned to the National Treasury for it to revert to the General Fund per COA memorandum dated Aug. 12, 2014,” the auditors said in a rejoinder.
The auditors also recommended that the province return P6,369,996.30 million in unused funds from completed projects to the government agencies that released them.
The COA also recommended that the provincial treasurer refrain from investing unused funds in time deposits and special savings deposits.
COA Circular No. 94-103 provides that funds transferred to local governments should be used only for their intended purpose and proper accounting and reporting should be made on its utilization.
