JDF probe a tool to pressure court on DAP

MANILA, Philippines - The ongoing probe by the House of Representatives on the Judicial Development Fund of the Supreme Court  seems to be a way to pressure the court to change its decision on the government's Disbursement Acceleration Program, according to militant anti-pork advocacy group Bayan.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. also said that while the lawmakers, particularly the House Committee on Justice chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas, are up in arms over how the judiciary spends its JDF, they remain mum on DAP expenditures.

"The committee makes a ruckus over JDF but is silent on DAP abuses, preferring to schedule the impeachment  proceedings on a later date...if they abhor lump sum discretionary spending, they should go after President Aquino and his DAP," Reyes said in a statement.

Bayan is one of the signatories of one of the impeachment complaints before Congress.

Reyes said that the JDF, compared to DAP, is way smaller for legislators to go after.

"It is just plain hypocritical for the House Committee on justice to be going after JDF which is small compared to the P237 billion funds, the alleged savings  used by Aquino to implement DAP," he added.

The SC has declared the controversial DAP unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and high court representatives did not attend Tuesday's JDF hearing in Congress, saying the invitation to appear at the inquiry was "inappropriate.