CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) urged yesterday Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala to resign and pave the way for a full probe on his alleged tie-up with alleged pork barrel scammer Janet Lim-Napoles over funds amounting to P89.2 million.
“Alcala is accused of coddling an NGO used by corrupt politicians in the Aquino government to steal hard-earned taxpayers’ money. He has to face his accuser in court and quit acting like a bit player or movie extra in a B-ham movie,” said Pamalakaya vice chair Salvador France.
He urged Alcala to “leave the Department of Agriculture (DA) and submit himself to investigating authority and expose to the taxpaying public the role of Malacanang in this endless raid of public fund.”
France cited Levito Baligod, counsel of the P10-billion pork barrel scamwhistle blower Benhur Luy, as saying that the office of Alcala endorsed the release of funds to Napoles’ agency despite tightened accreditation employed by DA to non-government organizations (NGOs) requesting funds for development projects.
Baligod confirmed the whistle blower had documents, including special allotment release orders (SARO), showing that 11 pet projects of eight representatives in the 15th Congress used Kaupdanan para sa Mangunguma Foundation Inc. (KMFI), which was allegedly set up by Napoles, France noted.
France noted, however, that Alcala seemed “untouchable under the Aquino administration.”
“We don’t need to go extra in-depth here. Secretary Alcala is one the most fair-haired boys of Pres. Aquino and his political benefactors in Malacanang will move heaven and earth to stave off any effort to hold the agriculture secretary accountable and prevent the paper trail from reaching the Office of the President,” said France.
At least eight congressmen, including allies of the President in the Liberal Party were implicated in the P89.2-million pork barrel fund released to fake NGOs identified with the group of Napoles. This is on top of the P 10-billion pork barrel scam earlier exposed by the whistle blower that implicated six senators and 28 congressmen.
France appealed to Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero to pursue the investigation on the scam as chair of the Senate Committee on Finance.
“The budget hearing on the proposed P2.268-trillion budget for 2014 is proper occasion to bring the matter to public scrutiny and public trial,” he said.
He said that “on top of the P 10-B pork barrel scam, Pres. Aquino has yet to account for his own pork barrel granted to him by his allies in Congress to the tune of P 24-billion Presidential Social Funds (PSF) which are free from scrutiny of the Commission on Audit (COA). “
“The inclusion of the P 27-B pork barrel in the proposed P2.268-trillion budget for 2014 is an exchange deal with the allies of President Aquino in both houses of Congress. It is like Mr. Aquino telling the senators and congressmen that you’ll have your pork barrel and I will keep mine and let’s enjoy the day,” he added.
