Jinggoy: DA vouched for 'bogus' NGO
KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA NewsFebruary 28, 2013 1:53pm(Updated 4:18 p.m.) Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday said he, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla gave funds to an allegedly bogus non-government organization (NGO) because the Department of Agriculture (DA) had assured them that it was a legitimate group.
"I was very confident because of the assurance given by the DA before, that that particular NGO was accredited... nagtiwala kami sa DA," Estrada told reporters in a phone interview Thursday.
"Right now I'm very very mad at what is happening. Wala akong kamalay-malay [na] 'di pala napunta sa tamang tao, sa magsasaka 'yung pera ko, 'yung naibigay ko... nakakasama ng loob," he added.
Estrada was reacting to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer that said that, based on a Commission Audit (COA) report, the three senators gave around P195 million of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) — or pork barrel — to a questionable NGO in 2011.
I don't recall the name of the foundation.
That senators and congressmen, then and today, are allowed to endorse coops to undertake projects using their PDAF.
But the recipient coops must account for their usage and liquidate the funds. In this case, the concerned NGOs must be called to account for the funds they received.
There are procedures followed are released for use.
That senators and congressmen, then and today, are allowed to endorse coops to undertake projects using their PDAF.
But the recipient coops must account for their usage and liquidate the funds. In this case, the concerned NGOs must be called to account for the funds they received.
There are procedures followed are released for use.
The report said ZREC then gave P194.97 million to Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc. (PFI), which was eventually asked by COA to refund P162 million “due to fabricated documents and forged signatures."
COA also reportedly recommended “that PFI should no longer be granted any fund assistance and have it blacklisted.”
In a separate statement on Thursday, Enrile confirmed that his office had allocated P74.69 million in PDAF for agricultural and livelihood projects in 2008 and 2009. He said these were released to the DA, which ZREC released to PFI.
But he stressed that he utilizes his PDAF with "utmost adherence to transparency and accountability."
"Senators do not receive these funds, which are released directly to the implementing offices, such as the Department of Agriculture. Our only participation in the entire process is to identify the projects to be funded... the localities where they are to be implemented and to indicate the amounts intended for such. The DBM sets the limits, the qualified implementing agencies and the type of projects that can be funded through the PDAF," he said.
In the case of the DA, Enrile said the senators' offices are merely asked to indicate their confirmation regarding their intended beneficiaries.
"We routinely confirm this because it is the DA’s responsibility to ascertain the capability, competence or qualifications of these recipients and to accredit them accordingly," he said, adding that COA did not tell them about the recommendation to blacklist PFI.
Enrile has recently been under fire for the alleged unequal distribution of Senate funds. He is also one of the stalwarts in the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), the rival of the administration's Liberal Party (LP) in the 2013 elections. Estrada's father, former President Joseph Estrada, is also one of the stalwarts of UNA.
Revilla, on the other hand, is reportedly being groomed to be Lakas-CMD's standard-bearer in the 2016 presidential election, where LP is also expected to field a candidate.
Accredited group
The younger Estrada said he only remembers allocating P30 million to the DA, which he said informed his office that PFI was an accredited group.
"Kami pa ang masama. Now if indeed that [PFI] is bogus then saan nila dinala 'yung pera? If the COA, or the DA or the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) insists that it's not accredited, then why did they pay them?" he said, noting that the PDAF never went through them since they can only identify projects they want implemented.
"'Yung nilaan kong pera, para sa magsasaka 'yun nationwide. We are just identifying the projects for the benefit of our constituents. We are not aware if that particular NGO is bogus or not. Paano namin malalaman? Di na namin sakop 'yun, na i-scrutinize lahat ng mga NGOs na accredited or not" he added.
Estrada also said that he is open for scrutiny and that he will personally initiate an inquiry on the issue.
"Sasama ko sa imbestigasyon dahil gusto ko malaman saan napunta 'yung inilaan kong pera para sa magsasaka. I want to get to the bottom of this one," he said.
But he immediately noted that he is not putting any malice on the timing of the issue.
"Di naman kami kandidato eh [kaya] 'di ko muna iniisip 'yun," he said, adding that he remains to be supportive of President Benigno Aquino III.
Release full findings
At the same time, Enrile urged COA to release in full its findings and observations from its special audit of the PDAF of lawmakers, which he said he was aware of.
"[COA] Chairman Grace Pulido Tan...clarified that the special audit was not directed at the lawmakers but at the implementing agencies. I said that I understood her point, it was a job she must do and I personally had no worries or qualms about the utilization of my own PDAF being scrutinized by the COA," he said.
"[But] the COA...must not allow itself to be used by anybody to achieve political or partisan ends by allowing a piece-meal or selective disclosure of parts of its report...It must explain the parameters and the scope of its audit and, in all fairness, point out the parties responsible for any shenanigans in the use of public funds without fear or favor," he added.
P2.9-B pork barrel funds went to scam from 2006-2011-Luys
July 16, 2013 3:02 amBy Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, July 15 (PNA) — Some P2.9-billion in pork barrel funds of some lawmakers were spent allegedly due to scam through the National Agri Business Corporation from the years 2006 to 2011.
This was based on the 11-page joint sworn-affidavit executed by the relatives of whistle blower Benhur Luy, namely: his parents Arturo Francisco and Gertrudes, and his siblings Arthur and Anabelle.
The sworn-affidavit was submitted by the Luys to the Department of Justice Monday in connection with the complaint for serious illegal detention filed against the siblings Janet Lim-Napoles and Reynald Lim.
It appeared from the said affidavit that Napoles detained Benhur as the latter allegedly knew about the projects funded by the government through the JLN Group of Companies.
The affidavit also said the information cited by the Luys in their sworn-affidavit can be verified with the records of the Department of Budget and Management and the Commission on Audit.
Some of the non-government organizations allegedly used by Napoles are the following:
Kaunlaran Para sa Magsasaka Foundation, Social Foundation, People's Organization for Progress and Dev't Foundation, Pangkabuhayan Foundation, and Masaganang Ani Foundation.
Meanwhile, the list of lawmakers who allegedly allotted part of their priority development assistance fund or pork barrel to the NGOS of Napoles in accordance with their respective Special Allotment and Release Order (SARO) are the following:
Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. He allotted P92 million. The first SARO of P12 million went to the Masaganang Ani Para sa Mass Foundation; second SARO of P65 million to Masaganang Ani and Social Dev't Program for Farmers Foundation; and third SARO amounting to P15 million to Masaganang Ani;<pSen. Juan Ponce Enrile: P150 million. The first SARO of P25 million allotted to the People's Organization for Progress and Development Foundation Inc.; The second and third SAROs with the same amount of P50 million each were allotted to the Masaganang Ani and Social Dev't Program for Farmers; and the fourth SARO amounting to P25 million to the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada: P81.5 million. The first, second and third SAROs amounting to P25 million, P19.5 million and P37 million were all allotted to the Masaganang Ani;
Cong. Conrado Estrella III. The total amount of P20 million went to the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Cong. Robert Estrella. The total amount of P31.5 million went to the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Cong. Erwin Chiongban. The total amount of P39.25 million were allotted to the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Cong. Rodolfo Plaza. He allotted funds for three times in the total amount of P22.5 million for the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Cong. Victor Ortega. He allotted P5 million each for two times for the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Cong. Samuel Dangwa. He allotted P8 million each for the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Cong. Edgardo Valdez. He allotted P10 million and P12 million for the Social Dev't Program for Farmers;
Congresswoman Rizalina Seachon-Lanete. She allotted P38.29 million for the Masaganang Ani para sa Masa Foundation and Social Devt Program for Farmers;
Cong. Marc Douglas Cagas who allotted P5 million for the Social Development Program for Farmers;
Cong. Rodolfo Valencia. He allotted P3 million for the Masaganang Ani para sa Mass Foundation; and
Cong. Arthur Pingoy who allegedly allotted P3 million for the Social Dev't Program for Farmers.
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