‘P1.3 B missing from DA funds’
By Jess Diaz, Philippine Star
September 19, 2008
Some P1.3 billion in taxpayers’ money released to the Department of Agriculture (DA) in 2007 is “missing,” according to Rep. Risa Hontiveros Baraquel of the party-list group Akbayan.
Quoting from a Commission on Audit report, Hontiveros said the huge sum was supposed to have been given to farmers as assistance for seeds, fertilizer and other farm inputs.
But the funds could not be accounted for, as the alleged beneficiaries could not be located, she said.
In many cases, the beneficiaries were fictitious, Hontiveros claimed.
Commenting on Hontiveros’ statements and the auditors’ findings in a House appropriations committee hearing this week, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said his personnel were still “soliciting reports” from beneficiaries.
Hontiveros confronted Yap with another audit result: P781.3 million “in intended benefits were unrealized because the projects were either not implemented, were delayed or implemented partially.”
The amount includes purchases by DA regional field office in Region 11 amounting to P31 million for 176 multi-purpose tents, 84 public address systems, 109 satellite receivers, 50 computers, and other equipment that the COA “found to be irrelevant to the DA livelihood programs,” she said.
DA officials informed the appropriations committee that the communication gadgets and other equipment were a project of former Davao Oriental congressman Mayo Almario.
Hontiveros did not pursue the issue, knowing she was stepping on the toes of a former House colleague, whose mother Thelma is the incumbent representative and a vice chairperson of the powerful appropriations committee.
Other fund irregularities include P95 million in “unused post-harvest facilities due to their unsuitability to the needs of farmers.”
For her part, Deputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa inquired not about anomalies but about projects that Yap can allocate to House members.
“You have to tell us now or in the next hearing how much in farm-to-market roads, rice assistance, irrigation canals, and other projects you can give to us, so we won’t have to communicate with you. This will eliminate tension between you and us,” she told the DA chief.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, senior appropriations committee vice chairman, chided Yap for his “cavalier” treatment of the state auditors’ findings.
“He should look into the adverse reports seriously and take corrective measures,” he said.
Earlier, Rep. Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, citing the same COA report, questioned several Malacañang fund releases to DA in 2007 amounting to P4.4 billion.
Mariano said one release, amounting to P1.5 billion, was made on Feb. 6, three months before the May combined congressional-local elections.
He raised the possibility that the money might have been used to boost the chances of administration candidates.
“This is reminiscent of the P728-million fertilizer scam in 2004,” he said.
Mariano recalled Malacañang released the fertilizer funds on Feb. 3, also three months before the 2004 presidential elections.
The P728 million was given to more than 100 congressmen-allies of President Arroyo and more than 70 pro-administration governors and mayors. The opposition claims that Mrs. Arroyo’s allies used the money for her campaign.
According to the COA report, the P4.4 billion in releases to DA were “not within the approved agency budget matrix and therefore over and above the general appropriations of the agency.”
It said the releases were not supported with requests and work and financial plans.