Even solons who voted “no” in Merci, Corona impeach got their PDAF
Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad today said that P70 million has been released from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Navotas Rep. Tobias Reynald M. Tiangco as of November 9, 2011.
He also said that the 2011 PDAF of other solons who did not endorse the impeachment complaints against former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Chief Justice Renato C. Corona had also been released.
“Rep. Tiangco miserably fails in his attempt to establish that we have a policy of withholding the PDAF releases of solons who voted against the two impeachment complaints. On the contrary, the PDAF of legislators who voted against these impeachment complaints were released in 2011,” he said.
Solons who voted against both or either of the impeachment complaints include Minority Floor Leader Rep. Edcel Lagman, Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas IV, Bohol Rep. Arthur C. Yap, Leyte Rep. Sergio Apostol, Batangas Rep. Hermilando I. Mandanas, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, La Union Rep. Victor Francisco Ortega, and Occidental Mindoro Rep. Ma. Amelita Villarosa.
“Clearly, the testimony of Rep. Tiangco is irrelevant to the impeachment trial as it doesn’t establish a policy or pattern. Rather, it is merely a ploy of the defense to buy time and delay the impeachment proceedings, as it is unable to put together a credible defense for Corona,” Abad said.
Abad added that the PDAF releases are reflected on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) website (http://www.dbm.gov.ph/pdaf.php). The DBM earlier rolled out its Electronic Transparency and Accountability Initiative for Lump-Sum Funds System, which automatically uploads information on PDAF releases online.
The Special Allotment Release Orders charged against the PDAF allocation of Rep. Tiangco—dated July 27, August 1, October 27, and November 9—came well ahead of the day when the House of Representatives transmitted the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Corona on December 12, 2011.
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