CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The champion of good governance as former mayor of this capital city and now chair of the House good governance committee could not have felt more vindicated when his name did not appear in the list of “pork scammers” in the files of whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Oscar S. Rodriguez said he can now heave a sigh of relief after his detractors maliciously linked him to the pork barrel scam.
"I am vindicated and can assure Kapampangans and everyone again that I never misused public funds,” Rodriguez said, even as he cast doubt on the other pork scam lists for “having no verification.”“I believe the list and (Luy’s) files made public is very credible compared to the list submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee by Senator Ping Lacson.
That Lacson list was recklessly released even if it was not verified,” he said. The solon said members of the House of Representatives are calling for an immediate and deeper investigation on the multiple “Napolists.” This, even as some of Rodriguez’s House colleagues have threatened to file a class suit against the Philippine Daily Inquirer for its running series on the Napolists.
Rodriguez was categorical in his reiteration that he never met Janet Lim Napoles nor dealt with any of her bogus non-government organizations (NGOs). “I never had any transactions with Napoles or those NGOs linked to her.
When I was in Congress from 1987 to 1992, and in 1995 to 2004, wala akong PDAF o CDF (Countryside Development Fund) na nagamit sa mga NGO. Walang dumaan sa mga NGO,” insisted Rodriguez despite what his critics say.
He said during his stints in congress, his CDF was allocated every year for identified projects and specific purposes. “Every year, iyung P9-million, palaging allotted sa scholars. The more or less P4-million is distributed to JB Lingad Hospital, Kidney Center and Heart Center.
The P2-million is released to barangays and municipalities and to the province for their small projects. So definitely, on a yearly basis, mayroon na iyang pupuntahan, iyung aking CDF. And definitely, hindi ako gumamit ng NGO,” said Rodriguez.
