Lacson claims 2 House members got billions worth of ‘pork’

Senator Panfilo Lacson has stressed the necessity of thoroughly scrutinizing the proposed 2019 budget after his office discovered that at least two members of the House of Representatives received billions worth of ‘pork’ allocation.

“May nakita na kami. May congressman na nagkaroon ng additional P1.5 billion. May isang congressman o sabihin nating congresswoman na nagkaroon ng P1.6 billion additional. So puwede ba pabayaan namin nang ganoon yan?” Lacson told reporters Monday night.

He said these are the reasons the chamber should check on the General Appropriations Bill approved by the House.

“Siyempre scrutinize namin para malaman namin tama ba ang ginawa nila at meron bang violation ito sa Supreme Court ruling na nag-outlaw sa pork barrel? And I would say yes, may violation. So papayagan ba namin mabuhay muli ang pork barrel? Siyempre hindi,” he said.

Lacson was referring to the SC decision in 2013 declaring the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the formal name of pork barrel, as unconstitutional.

Asked if he would name the lawmakers, Lacson answered in the affirmative.

“Yes. Once we find out who got how much, siyempre sa interpellation lalabas ‘yan just to prove my point na ginalaw nila ang GAB-1 (General Appropriations Bill 1) because GAB-1 effectively is NEP (National Expenditure Program),” he said.

He added there was another P4.9 billion that were distributed to some House members.

“There’s another P4.9 billion na ginalaw din nila at nai-park kung saan-saan. And we will show during interpellation na uniform ang amount ng farm-to-market roads. Anong ibig sabihin noon? E di na-distribute na sa mga congressmen,” he said.

“Now pray tell papabayaan ba lang namin ‘yan na sige, para lang maipasa natin ang budget before yearend, bayaan natin ang House version? No way,” he added.

Lacson earlier claimed that he received initial report that each congressman would receive P60 million, which was supposedly sourced from the realigned P51-billion allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways.

He said he will not block the approval of the 2019 budget but he will make sure that it is ‘pork’-free.

“Hindi haharangin. I-scrutinize kasi ang dami nilang ginalaw sa House from the NEP na gusto namin maliwanagan bakit,” he said.

Lacson has asked his colleagues not to fast-track the approval of the proposed budget. 

“There are 271 items on the agenda, meaning agencies and offices. Even assuming that we work 24 hours a day, Mr. President, 271 divided by 72 [hours], which is the equivalent of three days, we have to tackle 3.76 agencies in one hour,” said Lacson.

He added: “So translated into minutes—60 minutes—which is the equivalent of one hour, we will have to finish one agency, one office in 15 minutes. This is assuming we won’t have any breakfast break, we don’t have any lunch break, no dinner break, no weewee, no meryenda.”

Last week, Senate leaders vowed to work double time to approve the 2019 national budget before the end of the year after a meeting with Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

GMA News Online has sought the reaction of House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya but has yet to reply as of posting time.  — RSJ, GMA News