Return my PDAF to treasury — ex-lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - Former Camarines Sur Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella is asking the Department of Agriculture (DA) to return to the national treasury the P5-million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) he gave the agency in 2011.

In a statement, Fuentebella said he made the request to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala after finding out that the department has given P750,000 of his PDAF to a non-government organization linked to alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

Obviously, there are DA officials and underlings whose favorite fund recipients are Napoles’ NGOs, he said.

He said he or any member of his staff has not signed any document authorizing the release or use of his fund to any NGO.

He said he or any of his staff has also not signed any document pertaining to the use of his P5-million PDAF.

In a letter to Alcala, he demanded that his fund be returned to the national treasury, including the P750,000 that has been released as “mobilization fee.”

He reminded Alcala that “government rules prohibit advance payment for services/goods not yet rendered/delivered.”

He said in the past, he has always implemented his PDAF projects to help farmers in his district with farm inputs through the DA-Bicol regional office.

Upon Fuentebella’s request, the DA secretary has certified that the former Camarines Sur congressman had nothing to do with the release of P750,000 of his PDAF to a Napoles NGO.

Fuentebella pointed out that no less than Alcala admitted in a certification dated Sept. 3, 2013 that the DA is investigating the matter due to his protests.

Alcala said he was looking into how such NGO was chosen and why the money was released to it.

In the course of a House budget hearing last week, the DA secretary said six congressmen gave a total of P83 million to a Napoles NGO.

Of that amount, he said P44 million has been released.

He said he would investigate if there was collusion between his officials and Napoles’ personnel.

Fuentebella categorically denied ever requesting or endorsing to the DA to transfer P750,000 of his PDAF to an NGO in 2011.

“How can I endorse something I absolutely knew nothing about?” asked Fuentebella, referring to 15 percent of his P5 million PDAF channeled by the DA without his authorization to the Kaupdanan para sa Mangunguma Foundation, Inc. (KPMFI).

The former lawmaker also denied knowing or having any link with the said non-government organization.

 â€œI should not have been dragged into this mess because I neither requested nor endorsed the use of that P750,000. In fact, I knew nothing about it until reports came out,” said Fuentebella.

Through the Catindig, Flores & Palarca Law Offices, Fuentebella pressed the DA to return to the national government the 85 percent of his unused PDAF in 2011. He also demanded the return by KPMFI of the P750,000 purportedly used as mobilization fund for the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program.

The P750,000 represented 15 percent of Fuentebella’s 2011 PDAF totaling P5 million under SARO numbers BMB-G-11-T000000-377 dated April 27, 2011.– With Delon Porcalla, Charlie Lagasca