BAYAN MUNA STATEMENT | Expand the scope of corruption investigation, Larger rallies and stronger protests urged

Atty. Neri Colmenares, a budget reform and anti-corruption advocate during his three terms as Bayan Muna congressman, today urged investigating bodies to expand the scope of investigation in the ongoing flood-control plunder to cover non-flood control projects and to cover as many provinces in the entire country.  He also proposed three areas of comprehensive reform in the budget process to plug the continuing plunder of public funds in the national budget.

“The statements that came out during the September 23 Senate Hearing and the revelations of DE Henry Alcantara, Brice Hernandez, and Usec. Catalina Cabral admitted that the corruption was not only limited to flood control projects but also other projects like school buildings and that fifty-percent of the “allocable” funds in the budget were subjected to insertions and anomalies.  The Senate investigation, as well as that of the ICI, must now also start investigating projects other than flood control projects like roads, school buildings, multi-purpose buildings, and hospitals.  Secondly, considering that 50% of the budget ceiling for agencies were subject to anomalous insertions, the investigations must now be nationalized to scrutinize projects in other provinces and districts beyond Bulacan or Mindoro. Kung 50% ng buong budget ang may anomalya dapat Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao na ang imbistigasyon,” said Colmenares who acted as counsel of Bayan Muna in anti-corruption cases against the pork barrel, DAP, confidential funds, unprogrammed funds that siphoned Philhealth funds and the Maharlika investment fund.

“The corruption involving appropriations in the GAA are more far-reaching than flood control projects in Bulacan, Mindoro and other selected areas.  All projects of senators and districts and partylist representatives are now proper subjects of investigation if we are to get to the bottom of this web of corruption.”he said

“Corruption is systemic and therefore the reforms must be systemic. We won the constitutional challenge against the DAP and PDAF, but this did not plug the corruption and pork barrel as we now see in this flood control anomaly.  We should not be content of a few victories in the Supreme Court or the creation of an independent commission. A first step is a comprehensive overhaul of the budget process to make it truly transparent, participatory and accountable,” said Colmenares.

“There are 3 areas we should hammer on as areas of budget reform: the insertions, the conspiracy between executive agencies and legislators in budget execution and instituting effective oversight and accountability.

Firstly, plugging the insertions requires the accountability of Bicam members, the prohibition of presidential certification of emergency of the budget which railroads legislative processes making it difficult to scrutinize the GAA being passed by Congress.  This also requires the elimination from the GAA, allocations for discretionary funds through unprogrammed funds, confidential funds and the parking of funds in government agencies like the DPWH, DSWD, CHED, TESDA, DOLE and DOH.

Secondly, we must cut off the executive-legislative conspiracy that allows legislators to park funds for their pork barrel projects in the Executive department and select the contractors that will implement these.  Unless the President and his cabinet members, as well as majority of the legislators, are persons of integrity, there will always be corruption in the budget execution involving executive and legislative bodies. Dapat ikulong ang lahat ng involved dito para maturuan sila ng leksyon”.

Thirdly, is the institution of massive reforms in accountability mechanisms particularly ensuring persons with integrity in the COA, DBM, Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan.  Naparusahan ba ng tama ang mga mayor na sangkot sa Napoles scandal, the fertilizer scam, NBN-ZTE overpricing?  Hindi. kaya sila namimihasa. As long as those involved in these anomalies are not meted serious penalties and imprisonment, this plunder of public funds will be repeated again and again.”he said

Colmenares called on the people to be increasingly vigilant despite the Senate and House hearings, the creation of an independent commission, or the promises of reform by the President and members of the legislature. “The vultures are just waiting for the issue to subside and for us to let go of the battle.  Our protests must grow larger and our voices must go stronger in demanding genuine budget and social reforms.  We must have double the Luneta and EDSA rallies as well as more protest actions in the provinces.  We must overhaul the system. Otherwise, we will miss this golden opportunity to make our voices heard and fail once more in ensuring that our funds are used for the benefit of the people and not of a select few.”. ###

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