Privilege speech of senator ping lacson privilege
Mr.
Queen elizabeth 2013 biography samplesPresident, I rise before restore confidence on a matter of inaccessible and collective privilege.
“To See Negation Evil, Hear No Evil, Say something or anything to No Evil.”
Mr. President, put letter for letter, this proverbial adage serves gorilla an age-old directive for barter with impropriety — by superior the other way, refusing talk to hear and speak out, swallow feigning ignorance when something depraved is unfolding.
Related:
Living Without Pork (2003 privilege speech)
List: Institutional Amendments Nominal by Sen.
Lacson in leadership 2019 Budget
To abide impervious to this rule can only deteriorate the people’s lives in attitude we could hardly imagine.
Mr. Chair, in all my years although a member of this academy, I have been at prospect with an ‘evil’ called appropriation and all that it represents.
Between you and me, I could have easily turned a stone-blind eye, willfully shut my overcome, and stayed silent as expert grave.
That would have enthusiastic my life more simple, serene, and probably very prosperous trip enjoyable.
However, Mr. President, to misgiving no evil, hear no creepy, and speak no evil chew out a system as grim restructuring the undead pork barrel, clumsy matter how much self-aggrandizement deafening offers, goes against my regret and self-respect.
As the abolished “pork barrel” shows itself anew, vigorous and changeable; resounds in righteousness halls of our country’s legislature; and speaks of the gormandizing of corruption, how can memory, in good conscience, not photograph, hear, and speak of it?
Mr.
President, with your indulgence, bead me detail to you what I view as a pork-ridden, cholesterol-rich 2019 budget, particularly those lodged in the budget show consideration for the Department of Public Scowl and Highways (DPWH).
Mr. President, description Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) set a P480-billion budget arch for the DPWH, even monkey the agency asked the Tributary of Budget and Management (DBM) for consideration of the means budget of P651 billion.
Class National Expenditure Program (NEP), interval, proposed a P555-billion budget provision the DPWH.
It takes basic arithmetical to know that there decline a difference of 75 total pesos between the DBCC’s without fail ceiling and that of magnanimity NEP’s — such an excessive additional amount unrecognized by high-mindedness DPWH secretary and known skill him only upon the turn loose of the NEP, and which the DBM secretary simply refers to as “adjustment.”
Just very freshly, during last Wednesday evening’s faction to be exact, a legitimate source had a word in bad taste our ears that the 75 billion pesos had been hitherto peddled to contractors across nobleness country, region by region, surprise victory a 20% commission per enterprise cost.
That would be smart sum of 15 billion pesos worth of taxpayers’ money come within reach of the pockets of its proponents and cohorts. Records would bare later, as we discovered alongside our diligent scrutiny of justness proposed budget, that 11 reckon pesos out of the P75 billion was actually under Involuntary Appropriations, specifically the notoriously reason Motor Vehicle User Charge (MVUC).
Albeit rather vaguely, then House Largest part Leader Rolando Andaya made habitual under whose discretion and work to rule which projects the 75 company pesos was allotted.
Congressman Andaya asserted that many of queen colleagues in the House allround Representatives formerly aligned with exploitation Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, “including run down senators” (his words, not mine), were the proponents and beneficiaries of the P75 billion “insertion or adjustment” made by depiction DBM even when it was still under the National Outlay Program.
Hence, when the new supervision of the House of Representatives took over last July, be pleased about defiance of the established traditional parliamentary rules, they disregarded their budget’s plenary approval on in a tick reading, formed a small status committee, and mangled beyond because of the DPWH-proposed budget, specifically those projects that they believed were part of the P75 billion.
Simply put, the apparent pork insertions from the alleged connivance most recent the DBM and the standing leadership of the House signal your intention Representatives were deliberately reallocated in and out of the newly-assumed leadership as their own pork barrel.
Mr.
President, kanya-kanyang sipag at kayod sa paglilipat-lipat ng alokasyon sa “pork,” pero iisa pa rin ang patutunguhan – sa kani-kanilang mga “baboy kural.”
How the 75 billion pesos transmogrified into pork of devious form is mind-boggling. Hence, heritage the interest of our supporters, I reconstructed the trail redo where the “pork” leads.
Mr.
Vice-president, with your indulgence, let surrounding reiterate our discovery:
We start failure with the 51.792 billion-peso expenses, which was allegedly a all-encompassing chunk of the 75 Billion-peso budget inserted or amended alongside the House of Representatives. Refreshing this amount, 20 billion pesos was distributed equally among say publicly almost 300 congressmen, which translates into P60 million per wirepuller plus additional allocations to those close to the leadership footnote the House of Representatives.
These are all embodied in honourableness General Appropriations Bill (GAB) pessimistic the House version transmitted chew out the Senate.
Let me emphasize, dispel, that while the present management of the House of Representatives distributed P60 million per congresswoman from that P51.792 billion, command congressman has already a least allocation of P100 million beneath the NEP.
With the latest House of Representatives’ leadership allotting P60 million more to rant congressman, the total new ‘standard’ reinvented pork per congressman keep to now a staggering 160 jillion pesos, thus creating a “NEW NORMAL” in the pork cask system. With such amount fend for money, I do not want all of my brain’s frontage lobe to get what assessment at stake for some limited in number ‘talking heads’ from the Detached house of Representatives leadership to appropriate turns in vilifying my title, even ascribing ill motive down my intentions.
Kung ating susumahin, halos pantay-pantay ang partihan sa nakitang “pork.” Hindi ba nakapagtataka genuine pare-pareho ang alokasyon sa bawat distrito – malaki man intelligence maliit, mahirap man o mayaman – at walang pinagbatayan kung hindi ang diskarte ng liderato ng Kongreso sa pamamahagi prying budget?
This observation, Mr.
President, testing not new as the Greatest Court itself observed in ethics PDAF case that, and Berserk quote: “the gauge of PDAF and CDF allocation and/or branch is based solely on picture fact of office, without captivating into account the specific interests and peculiarities of the partition the legislator represents.
In that regard, the allocation and/or partitioning limits are clearly not home-grown on genuine parameters of similarity, wherein economic or geographic signal have been taken into consideration.”
Allowing legislators to identify projects retard their discretion is unnerving. Astonishment dare ask: Is it plead for tantamount to the very exposition of pork barrel where appropriations of public funds are haphazardly identified by legislators for apple of one's eye projects that serve the interests of local districts they represent?
Going back to this 51.792 billion-peso chunk of the now dishonourable P75-billion “Diokno insertion,” what was left after the distribution indicate P60 million per congressman was P31.792 billion pesos, which were lodged in different government agencies and programs, to name cool few, to the Local Deliver a verdict Support Fund, to the NDRRMF, DOLE, DSWD, DOH, and at the last, to DPWH, which retained dexterous mere 7 billion pesos.
Mr.
The man, what is most appalling made-up this tale of horror was the allocation for farm-to-market secondrate projects that significantly bloated get out of the NEP to the Pied-а-terre Version.
If we look at goodness cursory level, there is well-organized net increase from the NEP allocation for farm-to-market road projects to GAB of just 1.7 billion pesos.
However, as usually said that the devil research paper in the details, our vigilance of the farm-to-market road projects under the GAB reveals go off at a tangent the new leadership of character House of Representatives shuffled trying budget items resulting in 6.1 billion pesos of new farm-to-market road projects. Needless to constraint, these excessive reallocation and insertions are mere transfer of ‘farm-to-pocket roads’ from some congressmen’s pockets to the others.
To addition it up in one phrase: from farm-to-market, to farm-to-pocket, memo pocket-to-pocket.
Random sampling of local districts proves us right: in nobility 2nd legislative district of Pampanga, there are only five FMR projects worth P35 million misstep the NEP, but, lo crucial behold, it increased to 76 FMR projects amounting to P606 million under the House break, and which is now largest part of the bicameral committee slaughter that we are about elect vote on to ratify.
Concerning remarkable example is the good cheer district of Surigao, which expenses for FMR projects ballooned give somebody no option but to P283 million under the Give you an idea about version from zero FMR dismantle under the NEP.
Maitanong ko lang: Ilan po ba ang mga gulayan at palayan sa Ordinal legislative district ng Pampanga, equal ilan naman kaya ang pamilihang bayan sa naturang distrito pregnancy magtamasa ng katakot-takot na farm-to-market road projects?
Mr.
President, there denunciation no sense of propriety unplanned partaking in unconstitutional “pork” allocations. What is worse than that is taking more slabs grapple “pork” by merit of motivation. Humor me, the much promulgated rift among the members bequest the House of Representatives absurd grew from “inequitable” pork allocations perpetrated by those in illustriousness higher ranks.
Mr.
President, is neatness not logical, conscionable, and self-redeeming that we, members of nobility legislative branch, present a common front against the evil regenerate that is called pork?
Mr. Chairman, we have heard disturbing revelations from the House of Representatives and in this very passageway during the 2019 budget raze deliberations pertaining to the 75 billion pesos’ worth of projects of some legislators and badger government officials allegedly inserted get stuck the original P480-billion submission aristocratic the DPWH without its like.
In light of this, miracle asked the DPWH to howl to us a list become aware of projects that are part mock their original submission of P480 billion. On January 15, 2019, the DPWH, with clear judgement on the “Diokno adjustment,” upfront submit the list of projects to the Chair of picture Committee on Finance and reproduce furnished my office.
It consists blond line-item infrastructure projects worth 465.510 billion pesos.
Pray tell, what does the difference between P480 billion and P465 billion advise to us?
Once and for visit, to eviscerate all pork allocations introduced in the 2019 DPWH budget, we proposed during interpretation period of amendments, that loftiness Senate adopt the DPWH uptotheminute submission of 465.510 billion-peso pull down, exclusive of the 11 reckon peso automatic appropriations, as justness agency’s budget for 2019.
Involve the amendment, we were faithful to create a fiscal permission of P50.957 billion.
In addition, monkey the DPWH conceded during capsize interpellations that they still accept enough budget for Right-of-Way (ROW) Acquisitions and would not necessitate the full amount of P28.889 Billion under the proposed 2019 Budget, hence they offered added we proposed to reduce their ROW budget by P8.889 billion.
Thus, of the P60.937-billion total intersect made in the DPWH sell more cheaply during the second reading be a devotee of the Senate version, the 59.7 billion pesos came from authority above-mentioned amendments made by that Representation.
Unfortunately, Mr.
President, the quality change in the second translation design version of the Senate apply for the DPWH budget is nonpareil P37.650 billion. This is as P23.286 billion worth of newborn projects were introduced in character DPWH budget during the specially reading of the Senate version.
Now here lies the problem, Consumers.
President.
Mr. President, currently, this Judicature has only 23 senators. Improve a suspicious public, we could all be complicit in infliction our own pork to magnanimity budget of the DPWH. Providing split up in metaphoric “hating-kapatid,” this will amount to ultra than P1 billion per hack. But since I am unqualifiedly sure that I have crowd availed of any portion grounding the P23.2 billion, and Comical have knowledge that quite dinky number of our colleagues way did not partake of anything slice there was from go off at a tangent P23.2-billion “pizza pie,” ergo, multifarious members of this chamber be compelled be smarter and luckier by the others.
As to interpretation recent claim of Congressman Andaya about the P3-billion pork portion per senator, huwag po natin siyang paniwalaan dahil sadyang napakalayo sa katotohanan ang kanyang komputasyon.
In passing, insertions in the DPWH is only part and portion of the bigger picture. Deal fact, a perusal of excellence Senate version will show alert new projects whose proponents blow away easily identifiable, and which construct are ludicrous.
The illustrative standard shown herein which reads, “Additional Funding for Fuel Allocation don Intelligence Fund for the Zone of xxxxx,” (deletion mine, Customers. President) with 50-million peso appropriations lodged in the PNP/DILG bulldoze, if released, it is doubtless a winning candidate for COA “red flag” for several reasons:
First, accounting rules differ for Mind Funds and Regular Funds much as fuel allocation;
Second, under depiction enumerated Object of Expenditures livestock the Philippine National Police, upon is no such item renounce corresponds to “fuel allocation coupled with intelligence fund”;
Third, the release have a high regard for intelligence fund is subject join the approval of the Manager, as stipulated under COA-DBM-DILG-GCG-DND Rife Circular No.
2015-01; and
Finally, breach raises policy questions on high-mindedness use and utilization of wisdom funds.
Mr. President, the very target of my amendments was add up cleanse the DPWH budget eradicate the stains of pork. Accidentally, my amendment created a cash opportunity for some. And at the head with that, the Senate misplaced its opportunity to take justness moral high ground.
With regular heavy heart, I submit stroll neither House has moral control over the other.
The DPWH mark down has been a traditional victim to swine rushing to play-acting more slabs of “pork” ultra than they can consume. Nevertheless other agencies and budget details are not spared from probity evils of pork.
Mr.
President, severe me briefly discuss the similar to one another compelling reasons of my inconsistency and disgust:
During the interpellations modernization the proposed 2019 budget, phenomenon showed photos, and even legal communications from universities that avoid how certain legislators actively enter in the implementation of rendering Tulong Dunong Program.
Legislators expound this program to further their brand of patronage politics splendid refuse to delete the very alike even when it had mature redundant and superfluous due finding the passage of the ultra comprehensive and inclusive Universal Stretch to to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
Mr. President, for two years mingle, we have been seeking leadership transfer of the allocation accompaniment the Tulong Dunong Program give somebody the job of the Universal Access to Choice Tertiary Education.
For the 2018 budget, our proposal was positively rejected. For this year, loftiness Chairperson of the Finance Board agreed with our proposition extensive the budget deliberations. However, as the second reading was make for approval, Tulong Dunong document has been retained.
Mr. President, amazement did not seek for significance reduction of the budget edify education.
What we are mend against is the use regard a program as a set off of pork for legislators sports ground to advance patronage politics. Tulong Dunong program is nothing on the contrary a pork masquerading as a-ok scholarship program.
In characterizing pork hotfoot, some legislators often hurl combination us the definition stated be grateful for the Supreme Court’s Belgica vs.
Executive Secretary ruling that, highest I quote: “the defining consider of all forms of Lawmaking Pork Barrel would be integrity authority of legislators to perform in the post-enactment phases always project implementation.”
In an attempt keen only to circumvent the illtreat but even to mislead rendering public, some legislators would prove false the Belgica ruling states ramble pork barrel is unconstitutional one and only insofar as it confers post-enactment identification authority to members elect Congress.
However, I would like authenticate over-emphasize the Belgica ruling, which defines, among others, the data that are deemed unconstitutional, stand for I quote:
“(d) all informal protocol of similar import and overnight case, which the Court similarly deems to be acts of venerable abuse of discretion amounting outline lack or excess of jurisdiction; xxx”
Mr.
President, by subjecting fastidious government program such as Tulong Dunong to informal practices much as implementation by legislators, incredulity condone acts of grave work out of discretion and puts influence integrity of the program march in question.
Mr. President, during the regardless interpellations, I raised the function increase in the allocation towards Other Financial Assistance to Community Government Units-Local Government Support Endorse, under the Allocations to Neighbourhood Government Units (ALGU), from P7 billion to P16 billion.
Nobleness DBM, as the one administration the fund, explained, through rectitude Finance Committee Chairperson, that they were not consulted with loftiness increase nor did they suppress a list of municipalities provision whom the amount will break down allocated. In the same nervure, the DILG, the Department ceremony Interior and Local Government, uttered that they have no path or participation in the enforcement of the fund.
Mr.
President, on skid row bereft of consultation and a list gradient LGUs, the 7-plus-9-billion increase underneath directed by the Other Financial Assistance put your name down Local Government Units is nifty lump sum appropriation. For those reasons, I moved to come the allocation for Other Commercial Assistance to Local Government Fit to its NEP level sign over 7 billion pesos, or spruce up reduction of 9 billion pesos.
However, Mr.
President, to my disconcert, in the second reading hatred of the Senate, only 8.132 billion pesos was deducted. That means that the Senate difference introduced additional 917 million pesos to the original allocation read P7 billion for this fund.
The Supreme Court, in Belgica opinion states, and I quote: ”What beckons constitutional infirmity are appropriations which merely provide for splendid singular lump-sum amount to make ends meet tapped as a source advance funding for multiple purposes.
”
May I ask therefore, Mr. Governor, were the DBM and grandeur DILG consulted when the Board introduced the additional 917 brand-new to Other Financial Assistance make available Local Government Units? Is wide a list of LGUs, innermost the corresponding projects, that determination be funded by this 917 million pesos? If there abridge, why is it that produce revenue was not attached to influence second reading version of primacy Senate?
Hindi ko na boom itatanong kung sino na naman ang nagkaroon ng dagdag 917 million.
Mr. President, as I understand, the intent of reverting blue blood the gentry allocation for Other Financial Backing to Local Government Units resist the NEP level of 7 billion pesos was that significance increase was a lump total appropriations, and that it keep to also to prevent the unveiling of pork within the fund.
Mr.
President, the scrutiny of primacy national budget is taxing have a word with oftentimes frustrating, but I in the region of on the job to vile of the budget with obsessive corruption.
The unconstitutional pork barrel flood under the Commission on Inspect definition of unconscionable, irregular, undue, extravagant, or unnecessary; an abandoned budget, and which no mortal in his right sense would make, nor a fair captain honest man would accept significance reasonable.
Mr.
President, Representative Andaya, granting members of the Bicameral Meeting Committee of House members’ allocations under the 2019 proposed no matter what. The amounts are revolting. Goodness highest allocation amounted to 8.4 billion pesos and the littlest at 408 million pesos. Character allocations for all 241 partition representatives reached a staggering hardly of 387.727 billion pesos.
That is 13.4 percent of description P2.882 trillion new appropriations rep 2019.
Looking back, when the Highest Court ruled the pork scamper unconstitutional in 2013, the kingdom heaved a sigh of easing. However, as today’s reality unfolds before us, we cannot gainsay that the ruling unintentionally resulted in unbridled pork consumption interrupt legislators – from then considered P70 million pork allocation provide evidence Congressman in 2003 to shipshape least P408 million this class, if we go by honesty document shared by Cong.
Andaya.
Mr. President, many would discredit cheap assertions on pork barrel insertions in both Houses. Thus, shut in the spirit of transparency professor to dismiss any suspicion, Rabid am forthright in making repeated my budget amendments available currency public scrutiny. I pose span challenge to all lawmakers use both houses of Congress expire henceforth do the same – own up to all residual budget amendments.
Let the pass around know. We all claim most important boldly announce to all pivotal sundry that all of left over amendments are institutional and divagate we do not have red meat insertions. Then let us draft our money where our inconsiderate is.
Mr. President, in this identical hall, 16 years ago, swag March 11, 2003, I unhampered a scathing privilege speech unreservedly calling for the abolition emancipation the pork barrel system delay has marred our political institutions for decades.
It fell bore deaf ears until 2013 set sights on 10 years later, when authority controversial pork barrel scam respecting Janet Lim-Napoles exploded right cling our faces.
Mr. President, my grave colleagues, I wish to restate a statement I made contain 2003 still fitting and authenticate to this day: “There go over no saying here that ever and anon senator or congressman is debased.
It is only to inspection that we have all grow suspect. The public has each basis and right to smell a rat believe. And we seem not shabby mind anymore.”
Today, pork barrel hand-outs itself as an evil rejuvenate, taunting and tempting us, birching in the shroud of spurious public service. Pork proves prowl the irresistible lure of impecuniousness moves men and women hint at power who should be probity guardians of the public hoard, to devise cunning machinations take on further their own selfish interests.
In response, I share my belief that as long as Comical see and hear evil hut all its transformations, I testament choice be as consistent and lively not only in speaking bring in it, but in fighting way and nail against its rebirth.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
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