TEAM PNoy senatorial candidate Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay on Thursday called for an immediate investigation of the reported misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), more popularly known as pork barrel, by three senators and a congressman.
“The COA report that Senate PDAF funds had been given to a bogus NGO should be immediately investigated by the Senate to find out what really happened,” said Magsaysay, a known advocate of clean and honest government.
The former Senator said a thorough probe is necessary “so that we can plug any loopholes in the funding process.”
Magsaysay was reacting to a Commission on Audit report that some P195 million in PDAF of three incumbent Senators and a former congressman went to a questionable non-government organization (NGO) in 2011.
The PDAF, which funds pet projects of the members of Congress, is a known source of kickbacks for lawmakers.
The audit report identified Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. and then Buhay Rep. Rene Velarde as the sources of the P206 million in PDAF for the Department of Agriculture that was released in several batches in 2009 and 2010.
Of the amount, P201 million was reportedly turned over by the agriculture department to ZNAC Rubber Estate Corp 9ZREC), a government owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) which in turn transferred P194.97 million to Pangkabuhayan Foundation Inc. (PFI).
Magsaysay, chairman of the Senate agriculture committee that investigated the fertilizer fund scam during the previous administration, said the misuse of the pork barrel is totally inconsistent with President Aquino’s “Daang Matuwid” reform program.
“The next Senate should impose stricter penalties on such misuse of taxpayer’s money and uphold transparency and accountability,” he said.