Butch Abad faces plunder rap over Corona ouster

MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer filed on Thursday a plunder complaint against Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad before the Office of the Ombudsman over his alleged misuse of funds from the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

Lawyer Bonifacio Alentajan claimed that Abad distributed funds to senators to proceed with the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.

Alentajan said Sen. Jinggoy Estrada earlier revealed that lawmakers received cash and projects from Abad's department after they moved to oust the top magistrate.

"Jung sa P50 million bawat senador, 19 sila [na tumanggap], kulang-kulang sa P1 bilyon 'yun. Sobra-sobra sa plunder 'yan," he said in an interview over dzMM.

Only Sens. Joker Arroyo, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Bongbong Marcos refused to vote for the ouster of Corona and were not given lump sum funds by Abad.

Alentajan, however, has no plans as of the moment to include President Benigno Aquino III in the complaint.

"E siya [Abad] lang naman ang umamin na gumawa n'yan. Of course, siguro, he's an alter ego of the president but as of the moment, the president is still immune from suit," he said. - Camille Diola