Lacson: Senators get additional P100-M pork a year

Former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines –Senators allegedly get at least an additional P100 million “pork barrel” allocation a year or up  to  more than  P1 billion in the case of  an unnamed lawmaker on top of their regular P200-million budget, former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson  said on Tuesday.

Lacson said the senator, whom he did not name, received more than  P1-billion additional “pork” during the time  of  then President  and now Pampanga Representative   Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

But the practice of giving  senators  an additional priority development assistance fund (PDAF) known as “pork barrel” continued even during the present administration of President Benigno Aquino  III.

In fact, Lacson said,  he was  allotted an additional P100 million  this year  but  he  decided to forego it just like what he  always did with  his regular PDAF.

“Alam nyo naman ito’y hindi nyo nakikita, at hindi nakikita ng tax payers, taon-taon  talagang may additional pork barrel na ibinibigay sa mga mambabatas. Ito’y on top of the regular P200 million,” the former senator said  at a press conference  in the Senate.

He  said  each senator was allocated a total  of P300-million “pork barrel” funds every year although some managed to get  an additional P300 million, P400 million or P500 million.

“Meron  nga akong  alam na senador in previous years, hanggang mahigit  P1 billion  nakakakuha sya ng additional,” said Lacson but he did not identify the senator.

This senator,  he said, got the additional  pork  barrel during the Arroyo administration.

Asked again after the press conference when  the  senators started  getting the additional pork allocations, Lacson said: “From GMA (Arroyo’s initial) hanggang huli, itong 2013 may additional P100 million.”

“Since time immemorial  ’pag budget deliberations especially  before the period of amendment dyan  na talaga pumapasok lahat yung mga  additional pork barrel allocations,” he said.

Lacson said the additional “pork” was spread  out to  the budget of  different government agencies.

“Hindi mo makikita  yun,”  he said.

Asked if there was something irregular with the additional “pork,”  the former senator said  the word regular or irregular  was  relative, saying it would  only become irregular  if the money would be used for  fake non-government organizations, for instance.