'GMA spent P459-million pork for Congress bid'

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo spent a whopping P459 million in pork barrel allocations for infrastructure projects in the second district of Pampanga in 2009, more than six times the P70-million annual pork barrel allocation per congressman, a militant lawmaker said yesterday.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros, a Liberal Party senatorial candidate, said according to the records of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region III, the President undertook a huge number of infrastructure projects in the congressional district where she is running for congresswoman.

Pampanga’s second district has six towns: Sta. Rita, Guagua, Sasmuan, Porac, Floridablanca and Lubao, the President’s hometown where most of the projects were built.

DPWH Region III records showed that the President spent P3 million for a slope protection project in Lubao, P5 million to build a drainage canal in the Angeles-Porac-Dinalupihan Road, P17 million to build the Basa Airbase access road, P100 million to build the Basa Airbase access road interchange, P3 million to desilt and declog the river in Bancal Pudad, Lubao, and P3.5 million to riprap feeder roads in Lubao.

The President also spent P4.2 million to construct a drainage canal in Lubao, P700,000 to desilt and declog the river in Sta. Catalina, Lubao, P3 million to desilt and declog the Rio Grande de la Pampanga in Lubao, P3 million to desilt and declog Gumi River in Lubao, P3 million to desilt and declog Sapang Wanan in Lubao, and P9.1 million to build concrete roads in Lubao.

Also spent were P20 million to repair the San Fernando-Lubao Road passing through Sta. Monica, P20 million to repair the San Fernando-Lubao Road passing through San Antonio, P10.5 million to build a multipurpose building in Lubao, P5 million to rehabilitate the Calantas FMR in Floridablanca, P5 million for a slope protection project in Porac, Carmen, Floridablanca, P700,000 to riprap a creek in San Agustin, Sta. Rita.

Mrs. Arroyo also spent P3 million to construct a line canal in San Nicolas, Floridablanca, P1.3 million to construct and repair canals in Sta. Rita, P5 million for a slope protection project in Porac, Valdez, Floridablanca, P12 million for a slope protection project in Porac, Pulungmasle, Guagua, P5 million to improve the municipal building of Sasmuan, P5 million to upgrade the feeder road in Sto. Cristo, Guagua.

Likewise spent were P1.4 million to repair roads in Sta. Rita, P5 million to build a drainage canal in San Antonio,

Floridablanca, P30 million to rehabilitate Babsukan Road, P4.2 million to construct a multipurpose building in Sasmuan, P1.4 million to construct a multipurpose building in Sta Rita, P150 million to construct the Lubao bypass road of the San Fernando-Olongapo Road.

And finally, P20 million was spent to dredge the mouth of the Third River near Pampanga Bay.

Hontiveros said even if the spending is not illegal, it was “improper” and “shameless.”

“She went through a building frenzy, as if creating her own road to Congress, and perhaps, to the prime minister position that she obviously covets,” she said.

A source told The STAR that the President intends to be House speaker once she secures a seat in Congress and, eventually, prime minister if the constitutional convention pushes through.

In early December, Hontiveros sought the disqualification of Mrs. Arroyo from the congressional race, arguing in her petition filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that any president is not eligible for reelection, even for a lower post.

The Comelec is hearing Hontiveros’ complaint today.

“That’s the most compelling reason why she should be disqualified. As the highest official of the land, virtually no one, not a sitting legislator and especially not an ordinary civilian like Mr. Adonis Simpao, can compete with the resources that she has at her disposal,” Hontiveros said.

“GMA’s participation in the race makes the fight uneven. It is not even a question of the resources that she can mobilize to give herself undue advantage, but her capacity to deploy those resources for partisan purposes,” she added.

Hontiveros maintains that the ban against the re-election of an incumbent president extends to candidacy for lower positions.

“The intention of the ban is to protect the election for the highest position from the undue influence that a sitting president could exercise. We believe that the same principle applies for local positions,” she said.

“The same compelling reasons that rationalize the ban exist in the case of a sitting president running for a local position. Otherwise, it would be absurd,” she added.