Palace exec: Roxas not involved in any scam

A Malacañang spokesperson on Thursday strongly defended Interior Sec. Mar Roxas against accusations that he is involved in any anomalous transaction.

 

"Any suggestion that Secretary Mar Roxas is involved in any scam is malicious," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press briefing.

 

Lacierda issued the statement after a Commission on Audit (COA) report on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) covering the period 2007 to 2009 showed that then-Senator Roxas allocated P5 million of his pork funds to a questionable non-government organization (NGO), the Kaloocan Assistance Council Inc. (KACI).

 

But Lacierda maintained that "any responsible reading" of the COA report will show that Roxas is "not on any list that points to anomaly."

 

"He is not on the unliquidated list; he is not on the self-created NGO list; he is not on the fake or ghost NGO list; he is not on the Napoles related list," he said in a text message after the briefing.

 

He explained that KACI is not specifically listed as one of those which are considered to be bogus NGOs which are related to alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

 

He also said KACI had already explained to COA how they spent Roxas' PDAF.

 

"What that organization has to explain—that NGO has to explain to COA is why did it spend that part of that fund to provide financial assistance to its employees? That’s the question that that particular KACI should answer. The answer should be coming from KACI," he said.

 

"This is only a P5-million fund that was being stated. I don’t know why this is being made an issue," he added.

On Tuesday, Roxas said the COA report did not tag him specifically in the controversy.

 

"Walang sinabi doon sa COA report na may anomalya o kung ano man naganap na konektado dyan," he said, adding:  "Ayon sa COA report, ito ay isang lehitimong, rehistradong organisasyon na kinikilala ng DSWD." 

'Very transparent'

 

At the same press briefing, Lacierda said that since Roxas is "very transparent," the DILF chief is ready to provide any documents requested from him. 

 

"Secretary Mar Roxas has never been tainted with any allegation of anomaly. That’s why he was surprised that there was any—there was a statement that he was not prepared to provide documents," he said.

 

Lacierda, however, said they are prepared to investigate other NGOs not connected to Napoles.

 

"The President tasked IAAGCC to investigate the 2007-2009 special audit report. So that is going to be part of the mandate of the IAAGCC which is comprised of the Ombudsman, the Secretary of Justice, and the COA chair. So sila po ang mag-iimbestiga, maliban po sa Napoles (case), PDAF—‘yung mga ibang nakalahad doon sa 2007-2009 report," he said.

 

Roxas is on leave as the president of the Liberal Party, where President Benigno Aquino III is national chairman. Roxas was supposed to run for president in the 2010 elections but he gave way to then-Senator Aquino's candidacy.

 

Roxas then sought the vice presidency, but lost to Vice President Jejomar Binay. In July 2010, he filed an electoral protest against Binay, which is still pending before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

 

After the one year ban on appointing losing candidates to a government post, Roxas was named Transportation chief.  After the death of Interior Sec. Jesse Robredo, Roxas was named as Robredo's replacement. Roxas' post at the DOTC was given to then-Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya.