Customs Commissioner Raffy Biazon as he inspects the submarine and Ducati motorcycle worth P19 million from Korea by the operatives of the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in Tondo, Manila on Friday, July 26,2013.(MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Ruffy Biazon, who heads the Philippine government’s second-largest revenue generating body, said on Friday that he has yet to see documents proving he misused public funds when he was a lawmaker.
“I have yet to see the documents pertinent to this issue, but I welcome the opportunity to clarify and answer the accusations, whether before the National Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Ombudsman, or the courts,” the Bureau of Customs Commissioner said in a statement.
He was prompted to issue the statement on Friday after he was included in a second batch of officials who have supposedly misused their pork barrel allocations.
“I am willing and ready to face the allegations raised today pertaining to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocated to my congressional district during my term as representative of the Lone District of Muntinlupa,” the statement added.
More popularly known as pork barrel, the use and disbursement of the PDAF gained widespread interest and scrutiny after businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles was found to have earned billions by launching bogus projects through fake non-government organizations.
“I had always exercised prudence and fidelity in the performance of my duty as representative of Muntinlupa as well as in other responsibilities to the public, and pursued projects and programs that benefited my constituents,” the statement said. (MNS)