Press Release
March 29, 2007

OPPOSITION LEGISLATORS WONT GAIN
FROM DOUBLING OF PORK BARREL FUND

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said the reported doubling of the congressional pork barrel this year does not mean anything to opposition lawmakers since funds for their identified projects have been deliberately withheld by Malacañang and budget officials as a reprisal for their efforts in denouncing the excesses of the Arroyo administration.

Pimentel said the increase of the pork barrel allocation, officially called Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), from P6 billion originally proposed by the Palace to P11 billion under the 2007 national budget will only benefit administration congressmen and senators as a reward for toeing the administration line on many controversial issues and turning a blind eye to its misuse of power.

The huge hike in the pork barrel was revealed by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr. after the P1.126 trillion national budget for 2007 was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 22.

Assuming that Secretary Andaya is right, only lawmakers close to the Palace will get their share of the pork, Pimentel said.

Those outside the mosquito net will never get to see what is due them.

Pimentel denounced the Palaces practice of withholding the PDAFs share of opposition lawmakers in order to pressure them to go slow in exposing and criticizing the administrations misdeeds.

He said this is unfair to their constituents who are being deprived of projects such as classrooms, farm-to-market roads and bridges that are badly needed by their communities.

Saying opposition lawmakers have nothing to do with the beefing up of the congressional barrel, Pimentel said it is preposterous for them to propose such an increase when their share of the special fund is being held up by Malacañang and Department of Budget and Management upon order of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He cited the statement of Sen. Franklin Drilon, chairman of the Senate finance committee, that it was the House contingent in the bicameral conference committee which moved for the realignment of funds from various agencies and programs in order to inflate the pork barrel fund to P11 billion.

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