Congressman wants probe on use of ex-solon's PDAF

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines- In calling for the swift prosecution of lawmakers and officials who abused and misused the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) commonly referred to as pork barrel, Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia has called for an investigation into the alleged questionable purchase of P39-million worth of computers by Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella when he was still a congressman.

Leonardia said in a press statement that the closure of the investigation into Puentevella's alleged scam by prosecuting the latter would be the "best insurance against a repeat of the pork barrel funds' abuse" in Bacolod.

Leonardia is a former mayor of Bacolod for three terms (June 2004 - June 2013) and a long-time political rival of Puentevella who was congressman for three terms (2001 to June 2010). Puentevella ran for mayor against Leonardia in 2010 but lost. Leonardia defeated Bacolod Rep. Anthony Rolando Golez in the 2013 elections. 

On the eve of the Million People March last Monday, Leonardia called for the swift prosecution of cases involving the abuse of pork barrel funds.

Bacolod, for example, needs to see a closure on the P39-million computer procurement scandal, Leonardia said.

Now pending at the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas, the case is about the alleged overpricing and ghost deliveries of computers using the pork barrel funds of Puentevella, Leonardia said.

The complaint filed against Puentevella said he bought computer packages for P400,000 each when the prevailing prices then ranged only between P29,000 to P66,000 each using his pork barrel funds in 2002, 2004 and 2005, Leonardia said.

Aside from the unreasonably high price, the complaint added, only 41 of the computers were delivered and 56 units simply disappeared, he said.

These 56 units cost P22,400,000, he added.

At the very least, Leonardia said, we should not forget how the pork barrel funds were abused. — (FREEMAN)