MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 22, 2008) – Filipino opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused the Arroyo government of delaying the release of his 2007 and 2008 Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) which is intended for military hospitals and school projects.
Trillanes, a former navy officer, who led a failed coup against President Gloria Arroyo in 2003, said the government has withheld the release his P200 million PDAF which should go to health care and educational assistance projects.
He said P29 million of these funds also were supposed to be for military hospitals of the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center.
He said this month alone, at least 26 soldiers were reported wounded in clashes with Moro rebels in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces.
“There’s obvious demand for medical services in light of the heightened conflict in Mindanao,” said Trillanes. “GMA (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) herself put these men and women in the line of fire as a result of her failed peace policies. If she cannot help them, she shouldn’t stand in the way of those who want to,” he said in a statement.
A senator is entitled to P200 million funding for various projects. But most of the opposition senators have not received their PDAF.
Trillanes had earlier waived his 2007 PDAF allocation as an election campaign promise. But since half was already allocated upon assuming office, he directed the P100 million to public hospitals and for the construction of school buildings across the country.
“If the said amount would not be programmed, it would be like giving GMA a P100-million blank check,” he said.
Unused PDAF funds, also called pork barrel, are redirected to the national treasury and may be drawn by the Office of the President.
Other would-be beneficiaries of Trillanes’ 2008 PDAF include indigent patients of government hospitals nationwide and school assistance programs. Trillanes said all his funded projects have been posted on his website which can be accessed on this URL: http://www.senator.trillanes.org. (Mindanao Examiner)
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