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Abad disputes VP Binay’s claim: LGU funds not withheld in 2013
(Updated 6:02 p.m.) Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on Thursday disputed Vice President Jejomar Binay’s claim that local government funds were withheld in 2013.
In a statement released shortly after President Benigno Aquino III vowed a point-by-point rebuttal of Binay’s accusations from Cabinet members, Abad said the P302.8-billion internal revenue allotment (IRA) in 2013 was “immediately and 100 percent released” to local government units (LGUs).
The IRA is the LGUs’ share in the national government’s revenues.
“We do not withhold these appropriations and they have always been released without condition or delay. All agency transactions between the DBM and LGUs in 2013 have been properly documented,” Abad said.
The budget chief’s statement was contrary to Binay’s accusation in his scathing speech against the Aquino administration on Wednesday, where he claimed the IRA was withheld by the government two years ago.
“Hindi nila pinananagot ang mga opisyal na pumigil sa pagpapalabas ng 2013 Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) ng mga pamahalaang lokal. Samantalang alam nila na karamihan sa ating mga bayan at barangay ay umaasa lang sa IRA,” Binay said in his first speech after resigning from the Cabinet.
In a statement released shortly after President Benigno Aquino III vowed a point-by-point rebuttal of Binay’s accusations from Cabinet members, Abad said the P302.8-billion internal revenue allotment (IRA) in 2013 was “immediately and 100 percent released” to local government units (LGUs).
The IRA is the LGUs’ share in the national government’s revenues.
“We do not withhold these appropriations and they have always been released without condition or delay. All agency transactions between the DBM and LGUs in 2013 have been properly documented,” Abad said.
The budget chief’s statement was contrary to Binay’s accusation in his scathing speech against the Aquino administration on Wednesday, where he claimed the IRA was withheld by the government two years ago.
“Hindi nila pinananagot ang mga opisyal na pumigil sa pagpapalabas ng 2013 Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) ng mga pamahalaang lokal. Samantalang alam nila na karamihan sa ating mga bayan at barangay ay umaasa lang sa IRA,” Binay said in his first speech after resigning from the Cabinet.
In his speech last Wednesday, the Vice President also called the Aquino government “callous” and “a failure.”
In his statement, Abad further said that his department has been “automatically and comprehensively” releasing IRA to LGUs since 2012.
The Cabinet official said this is even a “better” practice compared to the one mandated by the 1991 Local Government Code, which requires IRA to be released “on a quarterly basis.”
The DBM computes the amount of the IRA based on the formula stated in the Local Goverment Code.
Local budget offices are also tasked to “recommend and effect the release of the national assistance for LGUs” based on Executive Order (EO) No. 292, issued in 1987. — Andreo Calonzo/KBK/RSJ, GMA News
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