*Malampaya Fund Scam* ‘Malampaya PNoy’s pork’ Lawmaker demands audit of Palace’s Special Fund AN opposition lawmaker accused President Benigno Aquino III Tuesday of turning the P170 billion Malampaya Fund into his own pork barrel and releasing some P33 billion for non-energy-related projects, including the acquisition of refurbished US warships. Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon demanded that the Commision on Audit release its special audit report on In September 2013, or two months before the Supreme Court struck down the use of the Malampaya Fund for non-energy projects as unconstitutional, President Aquino released P15 billion for 10 projects, Ridon said. “Where did the rest of the gas reserve proceeds go?” Ridon asked. Ridon said he wondered how the President considered the purchase of US warships or financial assistance to public utility drivers to be related to energy development. The non-energy projects included the acquisition or transfer of the USCGC Hamilton for P423.06 million; the transfer, dry-docking and periodic hull maintenance costs of Weather High Endurance Cutter Class Vessel for P880.61 million; the Public Transport Assistance Program (PTAP) - Pantawid Pasada for P300 million and another Pantawid Pasada for P150 million. Ridon also took the COA to task for its failure to release its findings on the use of the Malampaya funds under President Aquino. the Malampaya funds under Aquino and that the Palace account for the Special Fund. “COA’s refusal to divulge more details on how the Malampaya funds were utilized under the Aquino administration has created a blind spot in public accountability. While things are clearing up on how the P900-million Malampaya fund scam under the Arroyo administration came to be, the public is still left in the dark on how Aquino used Malampaya during his term as President,” he said. At the Senate hearing on Monday, Ridon said, COA chairperson Maria Gracia Pulido-Tan said of the estimated P170 billion Malampaya gas reserve fund, a total of P33 billion has been released to various government agencies as of June 2013. Of the P33 billion, Ridon said the President ordered the release of P15 billion for 10 projects. Citing Palace documents, Ridon said, apart from the US war ships, the other Malampaya-funded projects were fuel requirement of National Power Corporation (NPC) - Small Power Utilities at P2 billion; fuel requirement, genset lease/rental and half of capital expenditures requirements of NPC-Small Power Utilities Group at P1.62 billion; sitio electrification project at P814.41 million; NPC’s short term loan facility with LBP (missionary electrification) at P3 billion; and barangay line enhancement and sitio electrification projects at P1.10 billion. Tan also revealed that a “special audit” is currently being conducted to review the use of the Malampaya funds, saying that her agency found red flags on several fund releases, particularly in the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Interior and Local Government, Ridon said. The chief state auditor, however, refused to give more details on the upcoming report, which she promised to release next year, he said. “Since the Malampaya scam erupted last year, the Filipino people have been clamoring for the release of COA audit reports that cover the entire fund. Yet the COA chair has again dodged this request with another cliffhanger,” Ridon said. In its ruling on the pork barrel issued last November, the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional the provisions of several laws that allow the President to use the Malampaya Fund for purposes other than energy related projects. manilastandardtoday/2014/12/03/-malampaya-pnoy-s-pork-/
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 08:07:23 +0000
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