House prosecutor in Corona impeachment trial denies receiving DAP funds

A lawmaker who served as one of the House prosecutors in the impeachment trial of ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona said Tuesday he did not receive funds from the Disbursement Acceleration Program as a reward for his role in the conviction of Corona.

At a press conference, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. denied the report published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday that members of the House prosecution panel and other lawmakers received at least P10 million from DAP after Corona was convicted in May 2012.

 

The P10 million fund allegedly represents a P7 million allocation for farm-to-market roads and P3 million for soft projects.

 

“I categorically deny the allegation [published in the Inquirer]. I did not receive P3 million in funds for soft projects and P7 million for farm-to-market roads before, during and after the impeachment [trial],” Barzaga said.

 

According to the Inquirer report, certain House members received a total of P5 billion while senators received P1.5 billion from DAP for their role in Corona’s ouster.

 

The existence of DAP was known after Sen. Jinggoy Estrada bared in September last year that he and other senators who voted to convict Corona received P50 million each in additional funds months after the impeachment trial.

 

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad has since denied allegations that funds from DAP were given to lawmakers during Corona’s impeachment trial.

 

Abad justified the DAP as the national government’s pooled savings from unused budgetary items or lower-than-expected expenses of government agencies.

Release full report on DAP releases

 

But United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) secretary general and Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco dared Abad on Tuesday to publicly release a full report on all DAP releases if there is indeed nothing illegal about the program.

 

“For the sake of transparency at kung wala talagang tinatago [ang DBM], once and for all ay ilabas na nila ilabas ang listahan ng ng mga nabigyan ng DAP at ano yung pinagkagastusan ng pondo,” he said.

 

Tiangco also denied Abad’s claim that DAP allocations were released to all members of the House of Representatives whether or not they were for or against Corona’s impeachment.

 

“Secretary Abad says walang pulitika sa pagpili ng mabibigyan ng DAP. Pero I have to state for the record na ako ay walang natanggap ni isang sentimo [galling sa DAP] at may mga kakilala akong kongresistang wala ring natanggap mula sa DAP,” Tiangco said.

 

He noted that he has been asking Abad to release the list as early as August last year but the Budget chief has yet to furnish him with a copy of the DAP beneficiaries. — RSJ, GMA News