Leftwing solons demand release of their pork barrel

AFTER railing against the evils of pork barrel, leftwing lawmakers yesterday demanded to know why they failed to receive their P70 million yearly allocation.

In a 17-hour-long marathon session that began at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and ended at 2:45 a.m. Friday, Gabriela Rep. Liza Largoza-Maza and Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño took turns complaining about how militant party-list groups were being left out of the annual pork barrel allocation.

“We believe that the party-list groups, Gabriela, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Kabataan were never given our pork barrel fund allocations because we are very vocal against this administration and were in fact among those that endorsed and supported the impeachment complaint against President Arroyo,” Maza told the plenary.

With eight seats in total, the left-wing lawmakers would have qualified for P560 million in pork.

Maza also took potshots at right-wing Bantay Rep. Jovito Palparan Jr. and Anad Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr., who repeatedly accused leftwing lawmakers of using their pork barrel to organize and finance anti-government rallies and procure firearms and ammunition for communist rebels.

“We want to put the record straight now. Our pork barrel funds were never released to us and we want the [Budget Department] to tell that to this plenary so our constituents and the people will know that we never had it even if we have submitted and endorsed projects for funding under our Priority Development Allocation Fund or pork barrel,” Maza said.

Casiño said that they had repeatedly called for the abolition of the pork barrel because government was using it as a political tool against its critics.

Quirino Rep. Junie Cua, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, confirmed that leftist lawmakers were not issued their pork barrel, but said they were not being singled out.

Earlier, Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing, a member of the ruling Lakas-Kampi party, also complained that his district did not receive its allocation.

Cua briefly conferred with Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., and then told Bagatsing and Maza that the problem was lack of funds.

“I was told by the [Budget] secretary that yes, indeed, pork barrel fund releases were withheld due to lack of funds and when funds come along, the money is being prioritized and allocated for more important social services and infrastructure projects that also benefit the poor,” Cua said.

“We will not beg for the pork barrel funds and we cannot be silenced despite the oppression that we are being subjected to,’’ Maza said.

“But we want the people to know that despite the absence of our pork barrel funds, we even earned two seats for Gabriela and Bayan Muna got three seats in this chamber.’’

Casiño said they did not want the pork barrel, but proposed that if the government did not want the funds released to them, these should be given directly to the line agencies implementing the projects that they had identified and endorsed.

Congress has allocated P6.9 billion for lawmakers’ pork barrel next year. –Christine F. Herrera, Manila Standard Today