Pork barrel: Pigging out

http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=61903
First posted 01:25am (Mla time) Jan 04, 2006
By Juan V. Sarmiento Jr., Armand N. Nocum
Inquirer

FILIPINOS are vaguely aware that the pork barrel -- that euphemism for the joint raid on the National Treasury by the President and Congress in the name of infrastructure development -- is a source of fat kickbacks for the most dishonorable members of Congress.
But until August 1996 when the Inquirer published an award-winning series of articles, the public was largely in the dark about the magnitude of the amounts that regularly went into the pockets of legislators.
The most explosive reports in that series were the result of a meeting that month between a member of the House of Representatives and three Inquirer editors. The meeting at a nightspot in Quezon City was largely a social occasion among old friends wanting to catch up on one another's lives.
When the conversation turned to the subject of the items in the national budget that pertained to the pet projects of lawmakers, that is, the pork barrel, the congressman was quite happy to disclose the money trail.
Taking hold of a paper napkin, the lawmaker, who will continue to remain unnamed, illustrated exactly how much, in the form of "standard" amounts, the members of Congress and other officials got from government projects funded with the pork barrel.
He said the kickbacks were "SOP" -- standard operating practice -- among legislators and ranged from a low of 19 percent to a high of 52 percent of the cost of each project, which could be anything from dredging, rip rapping, asphalting, concreting and construction of school buildings.
The other major sources of kickbacks that he identified were public funds intended for medicines and textbooks.
A few days later, the tale of the money trail became the banner story of the Inquirer issue of August 13, accompanied by an illustration of a roasted pig.
The great revolt
The drawing showed which choice portions of the pig went to a congressman, a senator, the head of the pre-qualification bidding and awards committee, and the resident local auditor.
The publication of the list would spark what could be called "the great pork barrel revolt" of 1996 in Congress as legislators realized that not all congressmen and senators were created equal -- some got a bigger slice of the pork than others.
The pork barrel is a "hallowed" tradition in the history of the legislature in the country, dating back to the establishment of Congress itself. It is an accepted way by which legislators can be given access to public funds that they can distribute as largesse to their constituents.
The customary pork was known as the Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) in the budget. Each senator was allocated P18 million and each congressman P12.5 million.
A pig by any other name...
During the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, the pork barrel system was expanded with the Congressional Initiative Allocation (CIA), under which funds were inserted in the budgets of government departments for projects in which legislators would have a say, giving them an additional source of pork.
The Inquirer series was sparked by a July 22, 1996 story in which the chair of the Presidential Commission Against Graft and Corruption, Eufemio Domingo, denounced what he called the "criminal waste of hard-earned money by Congress through pork barrel appropriations amounting to P20 billion over the past eight years."
The issue would have died down as such stories are wont to. The issue of pork barrel irregularities were nothing new, after all.
But then the unnamed congressman decided to spill the beans and furnish the Inquirer with the list of the kickback beneficiaries.
Worse than hell's fury
And the resulting ruckus in Congress stirred some members of the public into going to the Inquirer with their own stories of irregularities in the implementation of the pork barrel-funded projects.
Hell hath no fury than a legislator denied his pork barrel. Unhappy about the share that they got, congressmen began turning on each other.
Several took to the House floor or went on radio to denounce the unfair allocations. Loyal administration congressmen felt insulted that their P21 million in CIA paled in comparison with the allocations for the most vociferous critics of President Ramos and House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.
The list showed that Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora and Makati Representative Joker Arroyo, for example, got P103 million and P38.1 million, respectively.
The then Deputy Speaker Hernando Perez said he could not accept that the late Representative Rolando Andaya, who headed the appropriations committee, got P3.6 billion.
Pork even for relatives
Perez, who was allocated P76 million, said the fact that others got P100 million "makes me look like an idiot."
Iloilo Representative Raul Gonzalez noted that some of the contractors for projects funded with pork barrel were relatives of congressmen or officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Others revealed that 23 construction firms were owned by House members or their close relatives.
The House was in crisis. De Venecia suspended the session one afternoon to prevent a free-for-all.
The Speaker then called a caucus where he promised to resolve the matter by giving the rebellious representatives more pork, averting a threat to declare all House positions vacant.
Who was Deep Throat?
Speculation on the source of the Inquirer kickbacks list was so intense that on August 12, two congressmen from Samar fought on the House floor, one of them accusing the other of being the source of the Inquirer story.
Various congressmen demanded an investigation to find out who leaked the list to the Inquirer.
Congressmen suspected Senator Edgardo Angara of leaking the list. Senator Ernesto Maceda delivered a privilege speech blaming the "ignorant media" for the "demolition job versus the entire Congress."
The Inquirer decided to come out with a story on the source of the list. It turned out to be a Department of Budget and Management official who was so exasperated with the floods in his area that he gave the list to the Inquirer's congressman source in the hope that it would result in a more equitable sharing of the CIA and free up funds for flood mitigation and control.
P1-B libel suit
With the public pressure, the DBM would confirm that the list was authentic.
In mid-August, De Venecia declared that the House would file a P1-billion libel suit against the Inquirer.
Gonzalez upped the ante by announcing that the House would have the Inquirer offices "padlocked" on the grounds that its series on the pork barrel was seditious.
The threats boomeranged on Congress. Church people, local government organizations, school officials, children and media groups flooded the Inquirer with calls, fax messages and mail, expressing outrage against the pork barrel and promising support for the paper.
House retreats
Children sent their savings to help the Inquirer defray the cost of fighting a libel suit, and people sent leads for stories, documents and pictures of cases of pork barrel misuse.
Rather than be cowed, the Inquirer went on to publish the entire CIA list, starting on August 15.
Amid the public outrage, the House dropped its plan to sue the Inquirer.
Did the kickbacks stop because of the Inquirer series? Most likely, it did not.
But the series has led to reforms in the pork barrel system.
No more basketball courts
In 2001, the DBM started posting on its website the list of pork barrel projects that congressmen and senators had identified for funding. It also issued a memorandum circular disallowing projects like basketball courts and waiting sheds.
During the 12th Congress in 2001, the pork barrel was renamed the Priority Development Assistance Fund, which was limited to funding "hard projects" like roads, bridges, hospitals and day care centers, and "soft projects" like support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development and procurement of seeds.
Some legislators completely gave up their pork barrel.

merry xmas everyone!

merry xmas everyone!

just wanted to share here something different that happened to xmas this year. just got off an emergency situation where i had to assist in the stitching of someone's wound. talk about trying my hand on new things! hehe...

my main role was to wipe the blood off from the wound every now and then (if you're eating or you have a weak stomach, please excuse me). i'm still feeling kinda dizzy right now with the sight of all those blood, hehe, but i'm glad i did it. i know i was able to help that guy, and the doctor too since it was so late at night and there weren't that much nurses around to help.

i can't really say that this one's the best xmas i ever had, but this one sure is the most exciting.

before the actual operation, i was in my room when i heard a big thud just above my floor, followed by the sound of broken glass or something similar. a friend and i rushed up to check what happened, thinking that maybe one of the 5th floor tenants broke their windows or something. when we reached one of the doors with its lights on, we knocked, opened the door and saw that the man there broke his sink. he was probably leaning too much on it, and he fell with the sink. he had a big lump on his forehead when we first saw him.

after getting an ice bag and giving it to him, we noticed that he had scars on his right arm. the doctor who was with us already at that time asked if he can have his polo opened. that was when we saw that he had a deep cut in the left part of his tummy. sheesh, whenever i think about that first time that i saw it, it makes me squirm. it was about the length of a normal adult's mouth, maybe a centimeter deep.

the doctor thought about whether we should rush him to the hospital or if he can do the operation in our infirmary. when he found out that we had enough supplies and equipment, he decided that there was no need to go to the hospital. he can do it there. only, he needed us to help him.

whew, i asked the people around if they have candy, cause i started to feel like vomitting, hehe. but, i don't know, when the actual time to do it came, i didn't really feel that weird. it's dizzying to see blood flowing from the wound but not dizzying enough for me to puke. and besides, the guy who had the wound is a "brother" of mine.

that's it. this one really is a different xmas.

merry xmas to all!

Enlightened Warriors' Statement (?)

(Got this from an email. Anyone here knows the veracity of this claim/statement?)

Earlier this morning. a group of good men of the Armed Forces carried out an attack against the LTA Building along Perea St. in Makati.

This attack symbolizes the widespread frustration and anger among AFP soldiery against the illegitimate and corrupt administration of Gloria Arroyo.

The attack was carried out despite the so-called full alert status of the Philippine National Police ordered by the PNP chief.

Also known as "The Firm," corporate and corruption headquarters of the Arroyos, the LTA Building in Makati is the real Seat of Power in the Philippines right now. It is here where the biggest unscrupulous covert deals are made among those in power against the interests of the great majority of people. It is here where money flows–the people's money transacted as private funds.

It is here where every rotten politician and sleazy operator in secret league with the official center in Malacanang line up to get their share of the spoils.

Today, as we carry out this this attack, we, Enlightened Warriors, declare our presence and issue the following statement:

A Declaration by Enlightened Warriors
December 2005

We are officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who vow to serve God, country and fellow Filipinos. We decided to stand together to make our voices heard and take decisive action.

We are one with the Filipino people. We agonize with them in their daily sufferings under a corrupt, uncompassionate, insensitive and remorseless government. We suffer from high prices, inadequate salaries, stolen insurances and social benefits, and rotten government service.

We hope of reforming the AFP and government. We are inspired by the memory of our fallen fellow soldiers who valiantly stood against corruption and for the interest of the country: Navy Ensign Philip Pestano, 2nd Lieutenant Jessica Chavez, Air Force Captain Panfilo Villaruel Jr. We are illuminated by their spirit and vow to pursue their ideals and make every drop of their blood worth their ultimate sacrifice. We are ready to sacrifice our own lives for the cause.

We have been taught honesty and genuine service. We have, however, seen otherwise: dirty deals, dirty money, dirty jobs in the military, government and politics. We puke at the sight of top officials and bureaucrats enriching themselves at the expense of the majority of the people. We refuse to be devoured by this dirty system. We reject all that is rotten. We vow to hold on to our ideals and declare our transformation into enlightened warriors in the Service.

We speak in behalf of an overwhelming majority of officers and men who are always ordered about, overworked, underpaid, unrecognized, neglected and made scapegoats of illegal, unjust and immoral commands and evil deeds of some superior officers and top leaders in government.

We oppose corruption in the armed forces and in government especially at the highest levels. We believe that the Service should dedicate itself to the interest of the people and not of a few.

We are against any and all forms of tyranny. We believe that the armed forces exist first and foremost to serve and protect the people. We stand against using the armed forces to protect the interests of a few and to silence those who oppose—all in the name of defending the State. We clearly understand that the prevailing unrest among the people is one rooted in the deep-seated political, economic and social problems and should thus be adequately addressed as such.

We are against the illegitimate, cheating and thieving presidency of Gloria Arroyo. We will no longer be mute witnesses and accomplices, witting or unwitting, to the grand theft of the people's will and the people's wealth. We will never recognize Gloria Arroyo's usurpation of the authority of the commander-in-chief, covering up her crimes, scheming and lying endlessly to fool the people and remain in power.

We sympathize and unite with the all those who have tried to resolve the present crisis of governance through the various means provided for by law and by the constitution. We, like them, have deep feelings of frustration as the Arroyo administration keeps on blocking all venues for seeking the Truth. We see no sign that Gloria Arroyo is going to relent and resign–the people and are left with no other choice but to bring it down.

We, too, have exhausted all means within the existing system. We have lodged appeals. We have filed complaints. We have been ignored. We have been bribed, threatened, pushed back and silenced. We have come to the conclusion that no reform in the Service and under the rule of Gloria Arroyo can ever be achieved as long as those on top are the very ones who benefit from its rottenness.

We have come to the conclusion that, together with the people, we can, with the force of arms put a decisive end to Gloria Arroyo's illegitimate and immoral rule.

We have just began. We are still a minority. We know, however, that majority in the Service agree with us and will eventually join our war against the present rotten Command and administration. We are ready, willing and able to do battle with an illegitimate and immoral command.

We will openly declare our break from the present illegitimate chain of command at the proper time. We will submit to a new government of genuine reforms supported by the people. We are determined to see genuine reforms for the future of our Nation.

We call on all our fellow men and officers in the armed forces and all the Filipino people to rise up as one to bring down the Arroyo regime and help set up an entirely new government of genuine reforms in the soonest time possible.

about terrorists and rebels

i was reviewing the daily newsbriefs which we had sent in november til the first part of this month and saw that there had been several news reports on ambushes resulting to deaths on the government side. there was one in the middle of november done by the abu sayyaf in sulu. their camp was eventually overrun by the govt forces, but lo and behold, several days after, they were at it again, this time in zamboanga.

the same goes for the npa's. they ambushed a truck full of soldiers in iloilo, leaving around 7 dead and more than 20 wounded. govt forces attacked the following day, but 2 days after, there was another ambush, this time up north, in quezon province.

this just makes me think that maybe we have a bigger political problem here than the problem of whether gma cheated or not. according to a source, our forces out there in the battlefields are in their 30's, fighting insurgents who are aged 16, 17 to 20's. according to a report today by inq7.net, they are also getting high-powered weapons from these ambushes. according to them, they have done, "from September 20 to Nov. 21, a total of 68 ambuscades, tactical offensives and harassment of government forces in different parts of the country."

our soldiers are not only aging, they also have to fight them at different fronts. plus there is the abu sayyaf and the rajah sulaiman movement, two groups which also demand a great deal of attention from the govt forces.

im not saying we forget the issue about cheating, but maybe we can also put these rebels and their "friends/benefactors" into the picture, when we choose whom to ally with.

if you want to read the 3 latest reports on the npa's, please click here

From Fr Intengan SJ

STATEMENT OF FR. ROMEO J. INTENGAN, S.J. REGARDING A SUPPOSED “EXIT PLAN”
FOR PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL – ARROYO


4 December 2005


This concerns the series of articles in The Manila Times from November 23 thru November 25, 2005, which claimed that National Security Adviser Norberto B. Gonzales and I had presented an exit plan for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Supposedly, the plan contains: (1) a description of the country’s political condition being “a revolutionary situation aggravated by political crisis,” (2) a proposal for the abolition of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and (3) conditions for the President’s “stepping down.” Major parts of the above mentioned articles were picked up by other news agencies and given very wide dissemination.

I absolutely deny having submitted or having taken part in preparing any “exit plan” for the President. The so-called exit “conditions” are not of my making, if they exist at all. Most probably these are pure fabrications fed to media practitioners for purposes of political intrigue.

There exist not only one, but two documents which I authored, that do contain, but separately, two of the points raised by the source of the reporter who wrote the Manila Times articles. The first document, the 50-page “The Armed Forces of the Philippines: Defender of the Nation, Guardian of Democracy, and Servant of the People,” carries my assessment of the present national crisis which, indeed, I describe as a “revolutionary situation aggravated by a political crisis.” It also exhorts the country’s armed forces to partake in the tasks of radical reform, social revolution, and national unity.

The second document, the 24-page “Program Points for Addressing the Revolutionary Situation,” does include the proposal to “(s)tudy the possibility of abolishing the ISAFP.” This proposal, however, is but one (and not even a major one) of the many initial policies and measures comprising my proposed “revolutionary agenda.” The entire agenda, which is comprehensive, is aimed at “renewing and strengthening the state,” “rectify(ing) the main defects and dysfunctions of our political system,” and “making our democracy an authentic one.”

Both documents are published by the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS), the office of which is on the Loyola Heights campus of the Ateneo de Manila University. Both documents are endorsed by the National Security Adviser. Both are also widely-circulated. Neither constitutes or contains an “exit plan” for the President.

A story published in the November 24 issue of The Manila Times alleges that I submitted the plan to the President “at the Jesuit House in Quezon City.” The last time the President was in one of the Jesuit houses in which I have resided or held office was in the year 2000.

I can only wonder if the source of the report regarding an “exit plan” thoroughly read the documents referred to above, or if they did so, what was their intention in distorting the significance of their contents. I am also amazed at that source’s capacity for invention.


Signed:


Romeo J. Intengan, S.J.

national situationer in radio veritas

simbahang lingkod ng bayan (slb) will be guests tonight in radio veritas (846khz). the title of the show is "mib: mga isyu ng bayan" hosted by harvey keh. slb will be giving a report on the current national situation, specifically data on politics and the economy. please do listen to get updates and to join the discussion. thanks...

south parketeer me

thanks chinks!