Speaker: House to prove 2015 budget pork-free

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives can easily defend the P2.606-trillion national budget of 2015 before the Supreme Court in the face of a new suit alleging that this year’s national budget contained pork barrel funds, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.

Belmonte said the chamber leadership would comply with the SC order directing the executive and the legislative branches of government to explain within 10 days allegations that certain provisions in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2015 revived the outlawed Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

“We will file our comment and comply with the order of the Supreme Court,” Belmonte said.

“Everything is in order and complies with the SC decision regarding national budget,” he added.

Several anti-corruption groups led by former national treasurer Leonor Briones filed a petition before the SC to stop the implementation of certain provisions in this year’s national budget, claiming they were pork barrel allocations in disguise.

Apart from Belmonte, the SC also called on Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Senate President Franklin Drilon to respond to the petition.

The petition questioned Sections 70 and 73 of the GAA, the National Budget Circular No. 559 (NBC 559) and some provisions under the Special Purpose Fund.

Section 70 defines savings as portions or balances of any unreleased appropriations in the budget law which have not been obligated, while Section 73 specifies the rules in the realignment of allotment classes and reprioritization of items in the appropriations.