Bayan: Noy, Abad should be accountanble for DAP

MANILA, Philippines - Militant group Bayan on Tuesday afternoon said it will pursue possibilities of making President Benigno Aquino III and Budget Secretary Butch Abad accountable for the implementation of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

This after the Supreme Court (SC) declared DAP issuances as unconstitutional.

Bayan, one of the petitioners of DAP before the High Court, said it is happy with the ruling.

"As petitioners, we are happy with the declaration of programs and issuances under DAP, including DBM Circular 541 as unconstitutional. It is a blow to presidential lump sum and discretionary spending or presidential pork under Aquino," Bayan secretary-general Reato Reyes Jr. said.

He said that the next step is to make people behind the DAP issuances accountable.

"The big challenge now is accountability. We will pursue this for sure. Aquino and Abad should be answerable to the people. Billions were spent as presidential pork used to influence Congress. Something illegal was committed. Someone must be held to account. We're referring to you, Mr. President. All legal options are on the table," Reyes said.