Escudero should lead

Senator Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance expressed doubts that 17 senators are in favor of the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), as earlier claimed by Senate President Franklin Drilon. Escudero even said that instead of a majority vote, individual senators may opt to adopt an individual position. Meaning, those who want it abolished can give it up and those who want to retain the PDAF can keep their P200 million.

Escudero as committee chairman should take the lead in abolishing the PDAF and should be the principal arguer in favor of his position. After all public opinion is clearly in favor of total abolition.

The Senate finance committee can also take a position contrary to the House position and insist on the abolition of the PDAF without realignment.

Senate President Drilon has pledged to restore the integrity of the Senate. Retaining the PDAF is certainly not going to restore public confidence in the Senate.

Previous reports show that Senator Escudero received an extra P99 million in PDAF funds.

Part of the reality is the presence of 8 senators whose terms will expire in 2016. They may opt to keep their PDAF to have a comfortable retirement nest egg.

The other question is why despite public outrage, Senator Escudero is not scheduling a hearing on the legality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) as proposed in a resolution filed by Senator J.V. Ejercito?

Senators on vacation

Senator Sergio Osmeña has asked Senator T.G. Guingona for a postposement of the Nov. 7 hearing on the Napoles’ testimony, saying that many senators are on vacation. Senator Guingona denied Osmeña's request.

That will not sit well with the public. If the senators are interested in Napoles’ testimony, they should return and attend the hearing. Two-week vacation is long enough.

Meanwhile, Atty. Lorna Kapunan has confirmed that she is withdrawing as lawyer for Janet Lim-Napoles in all the cases against her, citing a reason that she cannot control her.

Open to dialogue

Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. announced that President Aquino is open to dialogue with the critics of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Too late, his 12-minute TV speech already foreclosed the President’s position. There should have been a dialogue called before the speech, in view of the President’s lower approval rating.

President Aquino has now been criticized for his 12-minute TV address by critics who say that it sent a not-so-veiled message to the Supreme Court. This will be a test of the Supreme Court’s independence.

By insisting that DAP helped improve the economy, it is a clear admission that the administration submitted a defective budget.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) should also be faulted for not preparing a good growth budget.           

Even as far as TESDA scholars are concerned, the TESDA regular appropriations should have been increased.

The same with the calamity fund, the P7.5-billion budgetary item should have been increased to at least P20 billion.

Yes, the 12-minute TV address failed to convince critics that the creation of the DAP was necessary. Most people think it is just another pork barrel lump-sum of the President.

Erap on Narvasa

Mayor Joseph Estrada paid tribute to Chief Justice Andres Narvasa as an exemplary chief justice whose “standards of leadership, eloquence and dignified behavior were remarkable.”

Chief Justice Narvasa handled then San Juan mayoralty candidate Estrada’s case and won it for Erap.

Estrada said Narvasa was one of the most articulate speakers in the country. But more than that, he was a man with an unbeatable mastery of the law and, most importantly, unquestionable integrity.

Joker Arroyo hits Aquino men

Senator Joker Arroyo said that the Cory AquinoMalacañang team took the bullets for her and quickly defended her from criticism, among them were Rene Saguisag and Teddy Boy Locsin.

“In contrast, Noynoy Aquino is fighting all alone criticism of his administration over the pork barrel issue and the use of millions from the DAP to reward the senators who voted to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona,” Joker said.

Joker said the Department of Budget and Management had only itself to blame for the DAP controversy.

CCT now P62.6 billion

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) budget for conditional cash transfer (CCT) has ballooned to P62.6 billion, with a projected coverage of P4.3 million households.

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman has expanded the coverage to children 15-18 years old.

The CCT has not been augmented by DAP precisely because the proper budget has been provided for it.

There have been no formal studies on the effectivity of the CCT to combat poverty.

Why the delay?

Commission on Audit Chairman Grace Pulido-Tan announced last September that she would release an “explosive” report in the Malampaya Fund in October. It is now Nov. 5 and no word yet from Pulido-Tan.

By the same token, DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima promised to release a second batch of persons to be accused on the alleged misuse of the PDAF. Again, why the delay? Some analysts are now suspecting that the list is being sanitized to exclude allies of the President and Liberal Party (LP) members.

This is why public protest against the pork barrel is continuing.

TIDBITS: Cotobato City teachers reported that anomalies happened in the barangay elections in their city.

A lot of cigarette smuggling is going on as predicted.

Thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) face arrest in Saudi Arabia.

Rep. Imelda Marcos, 84, has been hospitalized due to fatigue.

Condolence to Senator Ralph Recto, former Vice Governor Ricky Recto, and Plinky Recto on the death of their mother, Carmen Gonzales Recto.