Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero. 黑料社 FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Fourteen senators have formally asked the Senate committee to completely scrap and deduct from the 2014 national budget their Priority Development Assistance Fund known as 鈥減ork barrel鈥� funds.
Senator Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero, chairman of the committee, identified the 14 as Senate President Franklin Drilon, himself, Senators Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III, Loren Legarda, Bam Aquino, Sergio Osme帽a III, Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar, Vicente 鈥淭ito鈥� Sotto III, Ferdinand 鈥淏ong-Bong鈥� Marcos Jr. Juan Edgardo 鈥淪onny鈥� Angara, Teofisto Guingona III, and Gregorio 鈥淕ringo鈥� Honasan.
Six senators, on the other hand, preferred to either amend the budget or re-align their PDAF to calamity funds or other social services.
The six were Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Pia Cayetano, Antonio 鈥淪onny鈥� Trillanes IV, JV Ejercito and Lito Lapid.
Escudero said four of his colleagues have yet to submit their proposals. They are Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Minority Leader Juan Ponce-Enrile, Senators Ramon 鈥淏ong鈥� Revilla鈥� Jr., and Jose 鈥淛inggoy鈥� Estrada, who is abroad.
听
He said Enrile though had听told him听that he听would also听propose for the scrapping and deletion of his PDAF from next year鈥檚听national budget.
鈥淚 will bring this matter up before plenary and before the caucus since 14 senators favored complete abolition, deduction from the budget, for the resolutions pending听before the committee on rules to be acted upon accordingly and for this to apply听to听the Senate as a body,鈥澨鼸scudero said.
The senators听were听given听until听Monday, November 11, to submit to the听finance committee their proposals听on how they would like to utilize听their PDAF听next year.
And on November听18,听the senators will hold听a caucus to discuss the individual recommendations of听the听senators submitted to the committee.
Asked about proposals to just re-align to calamity funds the听P4.8 billion PDAF of all senators next year, Escudero said the matter听has to be discussed听and voted on the floor.
鈥淚t will be voted upon on the floor. We will present a version and if someone disagrees with it, they can propose an amendment and it will be voted upon on the floor,鈥澨齢e pointed out.
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