PNoy Dares Critics for Impeachment Rap, Group Files Plunder

President Benigno Aquino on Wednesday has challenged his critics to move to impeach him over the controversial ‘Disbursement Acceleration Program’ (DAP) fund, saying he was right in re-aligning the money.

“Isulong nila kung palagay nila tama sila pero kakabasa ko lang sa Constitution, meron authority sa savings to put to other uses basta nandun sa ating budget. Nakatoka naman yun supposed to be for projects that are already authorized by Congress,” Aquino told reporters after attending the Brotherhood of Christian Business and Professionals’ Grand Breakfast in Pasay City, Gma news online reported.

Reports said Aquino was reacting to comments made by former senator Joker Arroyo and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago that the DAP releases are illegal and unconstitutional and could be used as grounds for impeachment. President Aquino defended saying the government needed the money to maintain the country’s economic growth.

“Ang reklamo ng business community, ng economic sector, ng ilang mga kritiko natin, ang kupad daw naming gumastos nitong budget, at nawawala ‘yung pump-priming effects. So, ‘yung Disbursement Acceleration Program was meant, ano, ‘yung departamento na efficient na idinivide mo into several years ‘yung gagawain, puwede namang magawa in shorter period of time kung may funding support, ay hinanapan natin ng funds,” Aquino said.

Reports said the president became irritated on a question whether the DAP was used as a bribe for senators to vote for the impeachment of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona. “Bakit hindi mo tingnan kung kailan na-release? Mayo na-impeach si Ginoong Corona; yung releases, kung tama ang tanda ko, October. So, meron bang bribe after the fact?” Aquino has said.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada brought the DAP issue when, in his privilege speech last week, he criticized the administration for giving some lawmakers P50 million each in additional funds, following their vote of conviction for former Chief Justice Renato Corona for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine Constitution.

Senator Estrada is among the lawmakers who are facing charges for their alleged involvement in the P10-billion pork barrel scam, Gma news online report said.

Meanwhile, the militant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) on Wednesday filed plunder charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against President Benigno S.C. Aquino III and several other persons including government officials in connection with the controversial P10-billion pork barrel scam.

In a statement, KMP secretary genreal Antonio Flores said “The Ombudsman have the power to investigate even a sitting President and the Filipino people have every right to know his participation in the pork barrel scam. Aquino cannot hide under the mantle of presidential immunity.”

Malacañang deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte, however, said: “We cannot comment on documents we haven’t seen yet.”

The group also named as respondents in the same complaint the following:
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Agriculture Undersecretary Antonio Fleta, Alcala’s head executive assistant Arnulfo Mañalac, Agriculture assistant secretary Salvador Salacup, Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos, Agriculture assistant secretary Ophelia Agawin, DA’s internal audit service director Irene Alogo, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, Napoles’s nephew John Lim, and whistleblower Merlina Suñas, among others.

Reports said the respondents were also charged with corruption, malversation of public funds, and grave and serious misconduct.

The KMP said “The respondent President Benigno Simeon Aquino III is being charged in this case by virtue of the Doctrine of Qualified Political Agency. The acts committed by the department secretaries under the Executive Department are deemed acts of the President,”

Reports added the Agriculture Department served as one of the implementing agencies of PDAF in disbursing the funds to purported bogus NGOs. The plunder complaint stemmed after the Agriculture Department was implicated in the P10-billion ‘pork barrel’ scam, Gma news online reported.

The militant group has explained that the Ombudsman may investigate the current President. “Under the Constitution, this Office has the power to investigate or conduct an independent investigation even of a sitting President to determine his complicity on the offenses charged for purpose later on of filing an impeachment case against him,” KMP said.

In the complaint, the militant group asked the Ombusdman to place the respondents under preventive suspension. The group added that their (Respondents) continued stay in office will cause prejudice to the case because the respondents have access to the files and records and could forge or alter them, Gma news online report said.

Source: Gma news online