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Napoles paid BIR staff to escape audit – whistleblower

 News
Oct 102013
 
Napoles paid BIR staff to escape audit – whistleblower

Pork barrel scam whistleblower Marina Sula said her former employer and alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles had connections in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). It went to the point that, Sula claimed in her affidavit, Napoles paid BIR employees to sweep under the rug the audit on the questionable assets of one of Napoles’ dubious corporations, according to a report that aired on “24 Oras” on Thursday. “I was present when our lawyer, Atty. Rocky Delson, negotiated with BIR officials and paid them to cease auditing JCLN Global Properties Development Corp.’s properties because the corporation had many assets but no sales,” Sula said in her August 2013 affidavit. Asked to name these BIR officials, Sula said in a separate affidavit that they are three male revenue officers in the BIR’s main office in Quezon City. “Hindi ko na po matandaan ang mga pangalan nung tatlong lalaking BIR Revenue Officers… Ang natatandaan ko lang ay taga-Investigation Department sila ng BIR National Office [Head Office] sa BIR Road sa Quezon City,” Sula said in her September 2013 affidavit. BIR chief Kim Henares said they would check on the officers who audited Napoles’ corporations. “We would check whether there was an audit conducted between those periods and who were the people auditing. And we will question them,” Henares said in the report. Sula said the JCLN Global Corp. was questioned by the BIR in 2009 and 2010 due to the number of its properties and assets despite having a low paid-up Read More …

NDRRMC on blue alert for Santi; death toll from ITCZ rain rises to 13

 News
Oct 102013
 
NDRRMC on blue alert for Santi; death toll from ITCZ rain rises to 13

Tropical Storm Santi satellite image as of 6:00 p.m., October 10. At 4:00 PM today, the center of Tropical Storm Santi was estimated at 490 km east of Baler, Aurora (15.6ºN, 126.6ºE) with maximum winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph. It is forecast to move west at 15 kph. PAGASA The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council went on blue alert Thursday evening for the possible effects of Tropical Storm Santi (Nari). In its 6 p.m. update, the NDRRMC said blue alert went into effect at noon, meaning at least half its personnel should be ready to respond to contingencies at any time. Also, it said it will continuously monitor and disseminate weather bulletins and weather forecasts to disaster management councils at the local level. For its part, the Coast Guard advised watercraft plying Catanduanes routes to suspend their operations, even as its units in Catanduanes and Albay are on heightened alert. The Department of Social Welfare and Development prepositioned P104.59 million in emergency relief resources. Death toll from ITCZ rises to 13 Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said the death toll from the heavy rain from the inter-tropical convergence zone rose to 13 Thursday. In its Thursday update, the NDRRMC said the latest fatalities included Ruel Patrociño, 17, of Tumaga in Zamboanga City; and Rose Flores, 38, of Mangusu Vitali in Zamboanga. Patrociño died from drowning while Flores was electrocuted, it said. The NDRRMC also said the ITCZ rain had affected 31,223 Read More …

Aquino arrives home after 1-hour delay

 News
Oct 102013
 
Aquino arrives home after 1-hour delay

President Benigno Aquino III arrived home Thursday night following his trip to Indonesia and Brunei, but not after his flight home was delayed by about an hour. Aquino was scheduled to arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at 7:30 p.m. but arrived past 8:30 p.m., radio dzBB’s Sam Nielsen reported. The report said the delay was due to bad weather conditions in Metro Manila earlier in the evening. Earlier this week, Aquino attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. During his arrival statement, Aquino outlined the gains the Philippines got from the two trips. With Aquino upon his arrival were Secretaries Albert del Rosario (Foreign Affairs), Gregory Domingo (Trade), Cesar Purisima (Finance), Arsenio Balisacan (Socio-economic Planning), Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential Management Staff head Julia Abad, and Presidential Communications Secretary Ramon Carandang. Government officials who welcomed Aquino at the NAIA included Secretaries Rosalinda Baldoz (Labor), Leila de Lima (Justice), Emilio Abaya (Transportation), and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and Commission on Higher Education head Patricia Licuanan. — BM, GMA News

PNoy can't abolish pork barrel – Justice Carpio

 News
Oct 102013
 
PNoy can't abolish pork barrel – Justice Carpio

On his own, the President cannot abolish the pork barrel. This was the statement of Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday during the second oral arguments on the constitutionality of the lawmakers’ discretionary fund. The most senior justice of the Supreme Court explained that the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), as the pork barrel is formally called, can only be abolished if the Congress passes a law to repeal it, or the High Court declares it unconstitutional. “At most, the President has the power to suspend further expenditure if there are anomalies. The president has the power to stop and investigate,” he said. “He has no legal power to abolish PDAF.” Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza concurred, noting that the President “has a general power to stop releases.” Earlier at the oral arguments, the Solicitor General asked the Supreme Court to lift the temporary restraining order on PDAF and to let the political branch of government to solve the issue on its own. However, Carpio replied that it was the High Court’s duty to resolve the case at hand. “A judicial review is a duty of the Judiciary to strike down any branch of government [that has performed] abuse of discretion… We have taken an oath… You are asking too much from this Court, counsel.” By November, the High Court will decide on PDAF’s constitutionality. Last August, Aquino suspended releases of lawmakers’ pork barrel amid public outrage on the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. In a later press briefing, he said Read More …

SC to decide on PDAF's constitutionality by November

 News
Oct 102013
 
SC to decide on PDAF's constitutionality by November

The Supreme Court will decide by November whether the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund, commonly known as pork barrel, is legal or not. During the second session of the oral arguments regarding PDAF’s constitutionality on Thursday, Associate Justice Antonio Carpio disclosed that the High Court will decide on the case by November “to give Congress time to adjust” on the Court’s decision. The House of Representatives is currently on a session break. It is scheduled to reconvene next week to pass the budget (General Appropriations Act of 2014) on third reading. The oral arguments lasted for about five hours. Likewise, Carpio ordered Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza to submit a Memorandum within seven days or before October 17 without extension. On Thursday, Jardeleza asked the court to lift the temporary restraining order it imposed earlier on the release of funds. He reasoned that the scholars and indigent patients that were subsidized through PDAF funds were the ones suffering from the High Tribunal’s earlier decision. Meanwhile, Carpio suggested that the President’s Social Fund, dubbed the President’s pork, can be tapped for indigent patients and augment scholarship programs. However, the Solicitor General seemed lukewarm to the idea. In an ambush interview after the oral arguments, Jardeleza explained: “Well, ‘yung PSF hindi kasi pang scholarship na panglahatan. Ang scholarship doon ay limitado sa mga anak ng namatay na sundalo. Titignan naming kung pwede ‘yun.” Last Tuesday, it was the turn of the petitioners—losing senatorial candidates Samson Alcantara and Greco Belgica—to explain that the use Read More …

5 million signatures enough to abolish PDAF, DAP – Ex-CJ Puno

 News
Oct 082013
 
5 million signatures enough to abolish PDAF, DAP – Ex-CJ Puno

Who needs the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass a law to abolish pork barrel and other lump sum appropriation? According to former Chief Justice Reynato Puno the electorate can can bypass Congress and directly scrap the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF), commonly known as pork barrel, and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) if five million signatures advocating their abolition can be gathered. “Hindi lang Kongreso ang may karapatang magpanukala ng batas. Ang taumbayan mismo ay may karapatan na magpanukala ng batas kung sa palagay nila ang ating Kongreso ay hindi ginagawa ang kanilang katungkulan,” Puno said in a television report aired on GMA 7’s “24 Oras” on Tuesday. “You cannot expect them [lawmakers] to pass legislation that will be contrary to their selfish interest,” he noted, adding, “Nawala na ‘yung moral authority nila to enact this kind of law.” Republic Act No. 6735, says the citizenry has the power to directly propose, enact or approve a law provided: – At least 10 percent of Filipino voters signed the petition. There are about 52 million voters in the country, so the petition needs to be signed by at least 5.2 million people. – At least three percent in all the legislative districts signed up the petition The Commission on Election, then, will verify the signatures in the petition and, eventually, set the election date for the Filipino voters to choose to abolish pork barrel or not. During the Ramos and Arroyo administrations, there were attempts to use a Read More …

DND says it received over P600M from DAP

 News
Oct 082013
 
DND says it received over P600M from DAP

The Department of National Defense (DND) has received over P600 million from the Aquino administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), the constitutionality of which is being challenged before the Supreme Court. In a statement Tuesday, the DND said the P665.6 million it received from 2011 to 2012 were used for the programs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, such as the procurement of equipment and spare parts, on-base housing, and the repair, renovation and rehabilitation of different facilities, the department said in a statement. Bulk of the funds for AFP went to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Presidential Security Group (PSG), according to the statement. The air force used its P397.3 million DAP funds for on-base housing facilities and the procurement of communication equipment. The funds were also used for various PAF’s projects such as the allocation of resources for search and rescue requirements, base facilities and equipment, and the repair, renovation and rehabilitation of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) facilities in Lipa, Batangas. Meanwhile, the PSG got P248.3 million for its communication enhancement project — the repair of buildings and barracks, the upgrade of communication equipment to digital from analog, and the installation of CCTV in the Malacañang complex. The DAP, which allows the Department of Budget and Management to pool government savings for other purposes, was said to be the source of the P50 million given to some senators last year after the Senate impeachment court voted to convict then-Chief Justice Renato Corona. — Read More …

Leonen: Declaring PDAF unconstitutional won't solve corruption immediately

 News
Oct 082013
 
Leonen: Declaring PDAF unconstitutional won't solve corruption immediately

Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said Monday that declaring the controversial Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional will not immediately solve the corruption problem in the country. During the oral arguments, Leonen said it is the people who can make the changes they want in the system. He said that even without the PDAF, the lawmakers can still utilize congressional insertions to get funding for their pet projects. “There is nothing that the court can do because that is the political department, it will depend upon the people’s will and how the people react on how their representatives act in the House and Senate,” he said. “It is unfair that the only burden in correcting the system rests with the court. Shouldn’t we actually say thay it is within the executive and legislative and we will do our part in terms of correcting it,” he added. Leonen said that even if the court declares PDAF as unconstitutional “still there are a lot of work to be done” as it is public vigilance that will spell the difference. “It is not us who are the saviors but the Filipino people working through the department, making them accountable that will be saviors in this problem,” he said. Leonen also asked petitioners’ counsel, lawyer Alfredo Molo III, if they are not creating a dangerous precedent in asking the court to declare PDAF as unconstitutional. The latter replied in negative. “No. We have identified the clear violation on the Constitution and that is Read More …

Joker Arroyo says PNoy's troubles caused by 'staff indolence'

 News
Oct 082013
 
Joker Arroyo says PNoy's troubles caused by 'staff indolence'

A “word war” is brewing between former Senator Joker Arroyo and President Benigno Aquino III’s spokespersons after the former accused the latter of causing problems in Malacañang due to “indolence.” In a statement Tuesday, Arroyo countered presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda’s statement that he did not react to irregularities during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “Part of the problem in Malacañang is the indolence of spokespersons. They play things by the ear and pass it off as facts,” he said. Arroyo pointed out how he co-chaired a Senate probe on the alleged fertilizer fund scam during the Arroyo presidency. He said he also criticized the supposedly anomalous NBN-ZTE deal. The ex-lawmaker also told Aquino’s spokespersons to check records first before making statements. “Staff indolence, that’s why the President gets into trouble for missteps that are not his,” Arroyo said. “Graftbuster kuno” In response, Lacierda said indolent is “a good adjective to describe” Arroyo’s stint as a “graftbuster kuno.” “What is an undeniable fact is that for all his years as a senator during GMA’s term, where was he in the fight against corruption? The dragon was asleep all those years,” he said in a text message to GMA News Online. “Noong panahon ni GMA, kung bad ka, ok lang.  That’s what he should be explaining instead of attacking Sec. Butch Abad or the spokespersons,” he added. On Monday, Lacierda said that he finds it “weird” that Arroyo is “talking only now” about supposed irregularities in government, particularly against the Read More …

SC Justice to Pulido Tan: 'Where has COA been all along?'

 News
Oct 082013
 
SC Justice to Pulido Tan: 'Where has COA been all along?'

Where has the Commission on Audit been all along? This was the question Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro put to COA chairperson Ma. Gracia Pulido Tan during the oral arguments regarding the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) at the Supreme Court on Tuesday. “Considering that the alleged misused of PDAF has been on going for some time, where has COA been all along?” she asked. To which Pulido Tan replied: “Your honor, I wish I could answer your question but I have not been with COA then.” But De Castro was not satisfied with the answer, noting that the agency was “not bound by the regulations” of the Department of Budget and Management. “You have your own constitutional mandate to do your work… You cannot just put the blame on past COA officials. There should be institutional continuity in the agency,” De Castro said. Pulido Tan agreed that the COA was not bound by DBM rules but explained that she was not blaming her predecessors. “I did not mean to put blame to my predecessor. I am sorry I cannot explain.” Meanwhile, Pulido Tan noted that the COA will not produce a special report on PDAF because the audit reports on lawmakers’ discretionary funds were already integrated in the regular audit of agencies. Earlier, the state auditor released a special report on PDAF disbursement from 2007 to 2009 which revealed that about P6.156 billion in lawmakers’ pork barrel funds went to 82 mostly questionable NGOs, some of which have been linked Read More …

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