Bishop: P330-B stimulus fund to go to 2010 kitty

MANILA, Philippines - Despite government's repeated assurances, a senior Catholic bishop voiced concerns the P330-billion economic stimulus fund will go to funding its campaign coffers in the 2010 elections. Lingayen-Dagupan archbishop Oscar Cruz said there are no guarantees the funds intended to support the economy would be insulated from politics. "Sa anumang paraan, maglalagay iyan para sa ganitong budget, para sa infrastructure, e kamukat-mukat mo ay para lamang pala sa kanilang election purposes [For all their claims, we should not be surprised to see the funds end up in their campaign coffers for election purposes]," he said on Church-run Radyo Veritas. He said this has been the practice by previous administrations. "It's no secret," he said. Cruz said the government should learn to value its funds because it comes from the people who pay taxes from birth to death. "At ngayon, ang taxes na iyan pagpunta sa gobyerno, ay puersahan naman lalo na iyong 12% expanded value added tax kahit ayaw mo o kung gusto mo lahat ng iyong bibilhin ay may buwis [We pay taxes to government but government still charges us 12% value-added tax]," he said. Even ordinary cotton balls and rubbing alcohol used to dress wounds, and even milk are subjected to e-vat, he lamented. Filipinos are also forced to pay taxes to fund President Arroyo's foreign travels, he added. - GMANews.TV