NBI urged to focus on solving crime instead of DAP

By: Maila Ager - 11 years ago

Senator Pia Cayetano. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Pia听Cayetano听has urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to use its time solving the crimes in the country instead of investigating the听controversial Disbursement Acceleration (DAP).

After all,听Cayetano听said the books of all senators were听open to the public.

鈥淢ga听kababayan,听hindi听kailangan听ng NBI para mag听imbestiga.听Napaka听simple听naman听nito,听kahit听sinong听marunong听magbasa听at mag open ng internet,听makikita听naman听nila听na听yung听mga听request听namin听for allocation, based 听 dun听sa听binibigay听sa听amin听na听allotment,听sinasabmit听namin听sa听DBM (Deparment听of Budget and Management),鈥� she told reporters Tuesday.

(There is no need for the NBI to investigate. This is very simple, anyone who knows how to read and open the internet can see our request for allocations based on the allotments that were given to us that we submit to the DBM)

鈥淪o听huwag听na听natin听abalahin听ang听NBI,听marami听tayong听unsolved crimes. Yun听na听lang听ho听ang听gawin听nila. I for one, and I鈥檓 certain the books of all the senators are open听naman听ho听ang听aming听books, kung听saan听naming听nilagay听etong听mga听allotments,鈥澨齭he said.

(So let鈥檚 not bother the听NBI, we have many unsolved听crimes. They should focus on that. I, for one, and I鈥檓 certain the books of all senators are听open, where we put听all our allotments)

Cayetano听was reacting to Justice Secretary Leila De Lima鈥檚 order to the NBI to look into reports that some senators had coursed their DAP funding to bogus non-government organizations allegedly owned听by detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

Also responding to听Malacanang鈥檚听call for senators to account their DAP funds,听Cayetano听made public the list of projects worth P50 million funded in 2013 under the DAP.

But she insisted that she was not aware about the DAP until it was identified by听Malacanang.

Cayetano听said all the听while she thought the funds were her amendments to the 2013 budget requested by then the chairman of the committee on finance and now Senate President Franklin听Drilon.

She was referring to听Drilon鈥檚听鈥減rivate and confidential鈥� letter dated Aug. 13, 2012 asking her 鈥渢o submit to听Dir听Gen. Yolanda听Doblon听on or before August 31, 2012 P50 million worth of infrastructure projects, which you wish to be funded in 2012.鈥� Her office later furnished the media a copy of the letter.

鈥淪o never听ko听pang听narinig听yung听term听na听DAP.听Basta听ang听natanggap听ko听ay听sulat听na听nakalagay听ay amendments,鈥澨鼵ayetano听said.

(So I never heard the term DAP. What I received was a letter which contained the amendments)

Nevertheless, the senator said that the funds went to her 14 projects, most of them have been completed except for four or five that have yet to be finished.

鈥淪o I go back to the question听meron听ba听kaming听ginawang听mali? Well, I can only speak for myself.听Dito听ho听napunta听sa听pet projects. It did not go to anyone personal,听wala听pong NGO. They are all government agencies,鈥� she said.

(So I go back to the question, did we do something wrong? Well, I can only speak for myself. [My funds] went to my pet projects. It did not go to anyone personal, there was no NGO. They are all government agencies)

鈥淭he manner of which I allocated or chose of these projects was in line with our current practices and acceptable procedures. [Remember that] we have legal principles that say that the act of government officials have the presumption of regulatory and there is also a presumption of validity of every law,鈥� the senator said.

黑料社