Press Release
March 28, 2007

LACSON CALLS FOR VIGILANCE
ON ELECTION PERIOD FUND RELEASES

After baring a new plan by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to release P5 billion in funds for development projects, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson called Wednesday for vigilance on government fund releases, especially during this years election period.

Lacson said the principle of presumption of regularity may no longer hold during the election period, because of the Arroyo governments track record of using such multibillion-peso funds to bankroll the campaigns of administration candidates.

The principle of presumption of regularity is not absolute especially during this election period. This is an election year. Given the track record of this administration, people should be wary of the release of billions of pesos in taxpayers money, he said.

He warned the NIA and other government agencies planning to release billions of pesos in funds for projects, especially at this time, to make sure they implement concrete instead of ghost projects.

Otherwise, he said he will be forced to disclose the lists of recipients of such projects, including governors, mayors and lawmakers of areas where such ghost projects are listed.

I have in my possession a list of recipients and beneficiaries, which can be easily updated through my networks in the countryside, he said.

On the other hand, Lacson encouraged voters to be specifically skeptical of recent government fund releases, including Malacañang s initial release of P1 billion for supposed anti-hunger efforts.

Such releases, he said, follow the pattern set by the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, where a Senate investigation found that then agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante diverted fertilizer funds to then presidential candidate Gloria Arroyos campaign kitty in 2004.

Also in 2004, Lacson noted the government distributed PhilHealth insurance cards to poor communities in a bid to woo their votes.

In the case of the NIA planned fund releases, P5 billion is P5 billion. Forewarned is forearmed. The supposed projects funded by the P5 billion should be looked into, to make sure they are concrete projects and not just ghost projects, Lacson said.

Lacson also stressed this vigilance should complement the publics vigilance in guarding their votes on Election Day. Already, he said Church-based and civic-minded groups have put up programs to make sure votes are properly counted.

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