Corruption ensues despite revocation of PDAF – Cayetano

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – Senator Allan Peter Cayetano said corruption will still haunt the Filipinos despite the revocation recently of the pork barrel known as priority development assistant fund (PDAF) in congress by the Supreme Court.

Senator Allan Peter Cayetano answered questions recently
 before the throng of reporters in Dagupan City after he
came out in a meeting with a group of fishermen
in the city.

“So iyong S.O.P (euphemism for cut by a public official for every government funded project) nandiyan pa rin hindi lang sa PDAF,” Cayetano quipped.

He said that even corruption in the PDAF has been excised by the high tribunal; pork barrel is only 1 percent of the national budget.

“Mas malaki ang mga nasa departamento. At sinabi na ni Benhur Luy na mismo sa DA (Department of Agriculture) na nag de-deal sila directly hindi lang sa PDAF,” he stressed.

Cayetano said that Filipinos should watch how congress reacts to the bill sponsored by the Palace after the Supreme Court wrote off the lump sum system in the pork barrel as illegal.

Senators and congressmen have been accused to pocket a part of the PDAF every time it is used to fund government project.

“Pagka nandiyan na iyong mga importanting bills kung maipapasa pa rin kahit wala iyong PDAF. Kung maipasa – good nag ma-mature na ang kongresso. Kung hindi e, back to square one tayo”.

He said the acid test how the solons react in the absence of a carrot dangles above their heads  will be when Malacanang sponsored bills are presented in the halls of Congress in January to March next year.