Palace: Aquino sisters not above the law

MANILA, Philippines - What is President Aquino's policy on his sisters' supposed involvement in government transactions?

Malacañang dealt with this query on Tuesday after one of the President's sisters, Viel Aquino-Dee, was dragged into the alleged P230-million milk distribution program anomaly being questioned by the Commission on Audit.

"Like all citizens, they (Aquino's sisters) are all expected to follow the law," Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said at a televised press briefing.

Aquino-Dee co-chairs the Assisi Development Foundation (ADF), one of the organizations that was reportedly asked by the National Dairy Authority (NDA) to help in the implementation of the milk feeding program.

The program was funded under the administration's controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program, which was declared as partially unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Coloma said to be fair to Aquino-Dee, several lawmakers have also been linked to the issue.

The Palace official said the NDA is required to answer the COA findings.

"We expect the implementing agency, namely the National Dairy Authority, to respond to the audit findings, which shall serve as the basis for the Commission on Audit to finally determine if the funds allocated were properly utilized," Coloma said.