MANILA, Philippines - The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday accused Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad of avoiding the plunder charges filed against him over the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
"What is incredible is that Abad can say with a straight face there was nothing illegal or immoral about DAP,” said Rico Quicho, the Vice President’s spokesman for political affairs.
"What is baseless is Abad’s persistent claim that DAP helped stimulate the economy when even the Commission on Audit says otherwise,” he added.
Quicho cited a COA report released last year, which showed that four government-owned and -controlled corporations were slow or completely failed in releasing DAP funds.
The report said the state-owned firms reported to have unspent DAP funds were the National Dairy Authority, National Electrification Administration, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority and the Philippine Institute of Development Studies.
The plunder charges were filed against Abad by Bonifacio Alentajan, former president of the Philippine Constitution Association. The complainant also asked Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to suspend Abad while the complaint is pending investigation.
Abad expressed surprise over the charges.
"That is absolutely without any basis. It’s a figment of their imagination. Incredible! I do not think they are even serious at all about filing that complaint,” he said.
On the latest complaint, Quicho expressed doubts that the case filed against Abad would prosper.
"Knowing the partiality and selectiveness of the ombudsman, I have serious doubts if this will prosper,” he said.//
