QC ready to return P142M, says Bautista

By: Rima Jessamine Granali - 10 years ago

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista. 黑料社/HOTARU NIITSU

Quezon City is ready to return the money.

City Administrator Aldrin Cu帽a on Thursday said that Mayor Herbert Bautista wrote the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) last year about the P142.8 million in unspent pork barrel funds the Commission on Audit (COA) wanted the city to return to the National Treasury.

鈥淲e are ready to return the unused Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF),鈥� Cu帽a said.

When asked for a copy of the letter, Cu帽a said it would take time to look for it.

Cu帽a said the nongovernment organizations and people鈥檚 organizations the COA said had received funds from the PDAF had not claimed the allocations from lawmakers.

鈥楲ong list鈥� of solons

鈥淢aybe they do not know it鈥檚 here. It鈥檚 not our obligation to look for them and tell them, 鈥楥ome here, you already have P10-billion PDAF from a senator,鈥欌€� Cu帽a said.

鈥淚n the first place, the pork barrel is not our fund. Our presumption is that the legislator will tell the organization [that made the request]. They [sent their request to] the congressman so we presume[d] that they [would] follow it up with the congressman,鈥� he added.

Cu帽a said the city government had 鈥渁 long list鈥� of senators and congressmen who allocated pork barrel funds to Quezon City. But he would not disclose the names on the list.

He said that before giving funds to organizations, the city government required those groups to submit documents such as accreditation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and sign an agreement that they would liquidate the funds.

He said the groups that received funds submitted receipts and financial statements for liquidation.