Abad couple, Drilon face graft charges over ‘pork’

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio Abad, his wife Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad, and Senate President Franklin Drilon are facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged pork barrel fund anomalies in 2011 and 2012.

Former Iloilo representative Augusto Syjuco Jr. lodged the complaint yesterday, claiming that too much pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) was released to Henedina who represents the smallest congressional district in the country in terms of population and land area.

In a 17-page charge sheet, Syjuco said the DBM released P892.5 million to the lone district of Batanes in 2011 and 2012.

Syjuco said a huge amount was given to a small congressional district that has a total population of only 16,604 or an equivalent of P53,752 for every resident of Batanes.

“In the past, particularly in the years of 2009 and 2010, the lone congressional district of Batanes, under the previous representation of their then political opponent, Carlo Oliver Diasnes, received very minimal PDAF or pork barrel,” Syjuco’s complaint read.

For the year 2009 Batanes allegedly received P13 million while in 2010, it only got P17 million from the DBM, for the same estimated population or number of residents.

“Hence, the amount of PDAF or pork barrel allocated and received by Batanes under the representation of Henedina Abad is artificially bloated and horrendously exaggerated in the amount of P53,752 per person,” Syjuco said.

“Why the sudden surge of PDAF or pork barrel allocations in the Batanes? Why Batanes, after all, for this scandalous and undeserved windfall?” he asked.

“The simple explanation is the unholy union of the respondents in the allocations and disbursements of PDAF or pork barrel,” Syjuco said, noting that Abad has the over-all control over the formulation and application of government resources, including those that he can give his wife.

As for Drilon, Syjuco said the senator is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and vice chairman of the Liberal Party who has a wide and very discriminating discretion to decide on whose PDAF gets budget allocation.

“With Batanes as the ideal spot, it is there that they, indeed, consummated this unholy union. To put forward, it is not only the sudden increase of PDAF or pork barrel that is mystifying, but also the allocation of PDAF or pork barrel to Henedina Abad by more than the budget approved in the General Appropriations Act for each and every congressman,” he said.

Syjuco said a congressman is supposed to receive only P70 million in pork barrel funds a year but Abad’s wife received way more than what she was entitled to.

“With the foregoing, now we call the attention of the honorable office of the Ombudsman to resolve the facts and issues to the following queries which is the concurrent queries of the Filipino people,” read his complaint, posing the main question of where did all the money go, among others.

Syjuco said the Abads and Drilon should not only be investigated and eventually charged in court for graft but also for violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

“In sum, the respondents, being members of the Liberal Party, conspiring and mutually helping each other, caused anomalous releases of PDAF or pork barrel for the lone congressional district of Batanes, to the damage and prejudice of the government and the public in general,” he stressed.