Amid Palace denials, Lacson claims pork barrel system still ‘alive and kicking’

At least one administration senator retained his access to pork barrel funds despite a 2013 decision striking down the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) system as unconstitutional, former Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said he has evidence to prove that the pork barrel system "is still very much alive and kicking" and that at least one senator and several congressmen benefited from it.

"May senador, may mga congressmen from the admin. So far, may isang incumbent senator, nagko-collate pa kami," Lacson said at the sidelines of a public forum on the 2015 national budget organized by Social Watch Philippines.

"We have enough evidence na yung PDAF andiyan pa rin at tsaka yung DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) na-revive din," he added.

In the same forum, Lacson admitted that President Benigno Aquino III felt bothered about the senator's allegations on the 2015 national budget.

"May mga common friends kami, sinasabi 'ano ba nangyayari sa kaibigan natin?'" he said. Lacson is a close friend of Aquino.

Lacson earlier disclosed that some P424 billion in funds were allotted as lump sum budget or discretionary funds in some government agencies.

No pork, Palace insists

At a recent press briefing, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the executive branch prepared the national budgets for the past two years in compliance with the Supreme Court (SC) ruling declaring the PDAF as unconstitutional.

"Malinaw po na sinusunod ng pamahalaan ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema dahil tungkulin po ng ehekutibo na ipatupad ang mga batas ng bansa,” Coloma told reporters.

The Palace official even pointed out how President Benigno Aquino III had vetoed allocations to local government units (ALGU) in the 2015 budget, which required consultations with lawmakers before their release, so as not to violate the high court decision against PDAF.

“Idineclare po nilang unconstitutional ito kaya tinanggal po ‘yan doon sa 2014 budget. Doon, sa sumunod na 2015 budget ay nag-issue nga po ng ganitong veto message dahil kasama doon sa ipinasang budget ng Kongreso itong tinatawag na ALGU,” Coloma said.

He further said that the Palace is ready to answer all accusations of “pork barrel” inclusions in past budgets and the proposed 2016 spending plan.

Petition for prohibition

Lacson, who did not avail of his PDAF entitlements when he was a member of the Senate from 2001 to 2013, intends to file a petition for prohibition before the Supreme Court on Monday next week.

"As early as 2003, I said there is life without pork...Kung nakinig lamang sila sa aking panawagan, wala sanang mambabatas ang mauugnay kay Janet Lim-Napoles," he said referring to the alleged PDAF scam mastermind.

The petition seeks to stop the implementation of alleged unconstitutional provisions of the 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which virtually allows lawmakers to access millions of discretionary funds.

"We're entering the third quarter of the year and if hindi tayo makakuha ng prohibition, tuloy tuloy ang implementation and maghahabol tayo ng pera...(We will question) 'yung certain provisions bordering on the revival of pork in the 2015 budget," he said.

He said his team is also studying the possibility of filing contempt and graft charges against those who implemented the supposed unconstitutional provisions.

"Sabi ng Korte Suprema, Congress has the authority to define savings pero they cannot define savings in such a way na vn-violate mo na yung Constitution," Lacson argued.

Asked about his 2016 plans, Lacson said he would rather focus on his personal advocacy of safeguarding the national budget. -NB, GMA News