MIRIAM WANTS SENATE TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGED SQUANDERED P2.7B PORK IN 2013

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago filed a resolution on Monday, 22 December, for the Senate to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, following the Commission on Audit's (COA) report that some governors and mayors misused P2.7 billion in pork barrel funds in 2013.

According to COA, at least P1.035 billion of the allocations given by representatives and senators were used "inappropriately" through projects that were not specified in the special allotment release orders (Saro) of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Further, a number of local government units (LGUs) exceeded the cash limits in paying cash advances for pork barrel projects, did not follow National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 537 which aims to enforce strict guidelines on the use of pork barrel funds, and did not return the PDAF funds after it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Some of the LGUs mentioned were those in Metro Manila, Western Visayas, Bicol, Calabarzon, Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, and Ilocos, among others.

Santiago said that whatever remaining PDAF allocations must be remitted immediately to the National Treasury, following the Supreme Court decision declaring the pork barrel system unconstitutional.

She urged the Senate to strictly monitor public funds against ghost projects so that transparency can be practiced in all stages of the implementation of projects.