Communist Party of the Philippines
The Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) used by Malacañang to carry out unprogrammed disbursements is nothing but a gigantic presidential pork barrel to bribe or reward congressmen and senators, and buy the loyalty of government officials.
Malacañang’s use of the DAP funds shows President Benigno Aquino III himself sits on top of the rotten heap of corruption and bribery.
Over the past several days, it has been revealed that Aquino, like his much-hated predecessor Gloria Arroyo, has been fully using his pork barrel DAP funds to bribe senators and congressmen and ensure his political agenda.
In 2011, Aquino used the P85.5 billion DAP funds (at least three times bigger than the corruption-ridden Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF) in order to ensure the swift impeachment of then Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona. Not one of the congressmen who refused to sign the impeachment resolution received funds from the DAP.
In 2012, the Aquino regime released P1.27 billion in extra pork barrel funds under the DAP to the senate before and after the impeachment proceedings against Corona. In the months during the impeachment hearings, at least P530 million was disbursed to senators to influence the proceedings.
A few months after Corona’s conviction by the senate, senators who voted to side with Malacañang against Corona received P50 million. Three senators who voted to acquit Corona did not receive such fund disbursements. On the other hand, Aquino’s key ally Sen. Franklin Drilon received P100 million in DAP funds during the same period.
The swift passage of the Sin Tax Law and the Reproductive Health Law, which Aquino personally campaigned for, was also attained using billions of pesos under the DAP.
Malacañang spokespersons have admitted that fund releases under the DAP were done under Aquino’s supervision, revealing Aquino’s direct involvement in the bribery of congressmen and senators. Aquino himself met with Sen. Bong Revilla to influence his vote on the Corona trial. Revilla received P86 million in DAP disbursements.
The Filipino people are utterly disgusted over Aquino’s acts of bribery and bribe taking by senators and congressmen allied with the ruling Aquino regime. They are extremely indignant that these acts were carried out using illegally disbursed funds under the DAP. The Filipino people demand that Aquino be held accountable for these acts of bribery and corruption.
The Filipino people condemn Benigno Aquino III for his “matwid na daan” (righteous road) campaign of deception to conceal the corruption and rottenness of his regime. They demand an end to the corrupt reactionary state and rotten ruling system.