Ermita: I just relayed Arroyo’s decision on Malampaya fund

Former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita is claiming he merely relayed former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s order on the use of Malampaya funds for the victims of Storms Ondoy and Pepeng in 2009.

“I’m no different than a notary public, I just attested to the President’s order which I believe is based on solid ground — PD 910,” said Ermita in a phone interview.

“Relaying presidential decisions to [the] appropriate Cabinet secretary thru memo is just part of my functions as ES,” said Ermita.

Ermita said the decision to use the Malampaya Fund for the typhoon victims was reached in a series of Cabinet meetings.

“After the President approved it,. the Secretaries sent their wish list of projects for funding to the Department of Budget and Management,” said Ermita.

He said this was his only role in the disbursement of the Malampaya Fund which was why he was stumped on why the Department of Justice included him in the plunder charges.

Ermita stressed that it was only in October that they decided to use the Malampaya Fund for the typhoon contrary to claims by the pork barrel scam whistleblowers that detained businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles had been tipped off about the Arroyo Cabinet’s plans three months earlier.

“They are just making up these stories that this was pre-meditated. I do not know any of them, including Napoles,” said Ermita.

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