Palace urges senators to explain alleged letters to fake NGOs

Malacañang on Saturday sought an explanation from senators who, according to a newspaper report, allegedly asked to have their Disbursement Acceleration Program funds channeled to non-government organizations identified with trader Janet Lim-Napoles.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Aquino government was surprised to learn that the DAP funds supposedly went to Napoles, the suspected brains of a pork barrel scam that squandered the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of lawmakers.

“Kailangan may paliwanag sila kung talaga nga ho bang totoo na [nag-identify sila] ng Napoles NGO na maging beneficiary ng project," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio.

On Saturday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that at least four senators sought the release of P100 million each in 2011 and channeled the money to NGOs identified with Napoles.

The report identified the four as Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, Ramon Revilla Jr., Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vicente Sotto III.

Valte said the Commission on Audit requires a bidding process if NGOs are involved in the procurement of goods or services.

“Kaya nagtataka po tayo kung bakit nagkaroon din ng identification na hindi naman ho dapat,” she said.

According to the Inquirer report, the four senators initially asked for the money to be released to the Department of Agrarian Reform. However, they later asked the Budget Department to channel the funds through the National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC) instead.

They also allegedly endorsed foundations linked to Napoles to “implement” the projects. The report said the letters were coursed through Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos.

Relampagos was among the officials named in a complaint lodged by the Department of Justice before the Ombudsman in relation to a P900-million Malampaya fund scam.

The Inquirer report said Sotto has denied requesting the DAR to transfer the funds to the NLDC. Marcos was also said to have denied involvement in the release of P100 million in DAP funds.

Revilla’s lawyer Joel Bodegon was quoted in the report as saying the senators wants the letters linked to him examined by a document expert. — LBG, GMA News