By Catherine S Valente/Manila Times
The distribution of stimulus funds to lawmakers under the Disbursement AccelerationProgramme (DAP) has been suspended.
In a text message yesterday, Strategic Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang said President Benigno Aquino had frozen all DAP releases for the second semester of this year.
DAP has suffered the same fate as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), which has touched off a controversy following revelations about its misuse.
Carandang said projects proposed by government agencies were not covered by the DAP suspension.
According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), 20 senators received DAP allocations after the conviction of chief justice Renate Corona by a impeachment court last year.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad insisted the allocations were not bribes or incentives.
“In the interest of transparency, we want to set the record straight on releases made to support projects that were proposed by senators on top of their regular PDAF allocation toward the end of 2012. These fund releases have recently been touted as ‘bribes,’ ‘rewards,’ or ‘incentives.’ They were not,” Abad said in a statement.
The DAP is savings pooled from unused budgetary items or lower-than-expected expenses of state agencies.
In a privilege speech last week, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said P50mn was given to each of the 20 senators who voted to convict Corona, on the strength of a confidential letter signed by then chairman of the Senate finance committee Franklin Drilon.
But Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda yesterday drew the difference between the DAP and PDAF.
“It is not a PDAF release,” Lacierda said, adding that the DAP funds were meant to speed up government spending.
“DAP is a programme where we induce acceleration spending. There are projects that are worthwhile. There are projects which we can use—to accelerate not only infrastructure projects but social programmes,” he said.
According to Lacierda, the releases from DAP went to projects requested by legislators.“DAP is not a normal PDAF. We have regular releases of PDAF,” whether a senator voted for or against Corona,” he said.
“It’s not only used by the legislators, (but) by attached agencies as well as Cabinet departments,” Lacierda said.
Even the executive uses part of the DAP, he said. “The only reason why it is being connected now is because of what Senator Jinggoy (Estrada) showed. But, again, Senator Jinggoy was very emphatic. No bribes. He stood by his vote to convict chief justice Corona,” Lacierda added.
Abad earlier released a breakdown of DAP fund disbursements to senators which were mostly made from October to December in 2012.
“No releases were made in 2012 to Senators Ping Lacson, Joker Arroyo, Pia Cayetano, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Miriam Defensor-Santiago,” Abad said.
“In 2013, however, releases were made for funding requests from Senators Arroyo (February, P47mn) and Pia Cayetano (January, P50mn),” he added.
Despite the scrapping of the PDAF, two congressmen said yesterday lawmakers can still get funding for their pet projects.
Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said legislators as well as local executives can request the Budget department for funding for projects in their district or sector.
“It’s not illegal or immoral. What is important is the DBM, through Secretary Abad, is informing the public on how funds are released. After all, projects funded through these releases are subject to COA audit,” Barzaga said.
The COA can audit the DAP anytime if it thinks the fund was released or spent anomalously, he said.
