Gov’t, lawmakers warned on hidden pork in 2017 budget

A bishop on Thursday warned the government and lawmakers on the hidden pork barrel funds  in the P3.35-trillion 2017 General Appropriations Act or the country’s national budget.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)-Episcopal Commission on Mission chairman Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes lauded Senator Panfilo Lacson for revealing the hidden pork in the 2017 budget said to be bigger than the P80 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for every congressman and P200 million for every senator.

PDAF was declared “unconstitutional” by the Supreme Court (SC) in November 2013.

READ: Lacson to question pork in budget in SC

“Hopefully wala na ’yan (this should not be present) in some other disguise. They tried already to do that in the Aquino administration and somehow it succeeded although with some displeased by it,” Bastes said on Church-run Radyo Veritas.

“I hope this present administration who said that corruption will not be tolerated [will be sincere]. Maganda yung (It’s good to have the) very watchful eye of Senator Lacson and I hope that the others are sincere; it depends upon the sincerity of the senators and congressmen,” he added.

The SC handed down its decision on PDAF in 2013 following the revelation of a money-making scam involving the P10-billion lump-sum allocation for lawmakers and its brains, Janet Lim-Napoles, along with the involvement of five senators, 23 congressmen and Cabinet officials.

Napoles, Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla are currently in jail for the pork barrel scam plunder charges, while Senator Juan Ponce Enrile is currently out on bail after the SC ordered his release in August 2015 on “humanitarian considerations.”

READ: WHAT WENT BEFORE: Janet Lim-Napoles and PDAF scam

Bastes urged the Duterte administration and lawmakers to support the President’s “no to corruption” policy.

He said that the success of this policy would depend on the sincerity and honesty of lawmakers and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Bastes noted that the 2017 national budget does not have specific or allocated funds for projects of senators and congressmen. He said legislators would simply submit their “pet projects” to DBM for funding.

He expressed worry that the “hidden pork” would be used for political patronage so that “unpopular” proposals like death penalty bill would be enacted.

Still Bastes remained optimistic and called for the honest service in the government.