House members cry foul over ‘hijacked’ P92-billion funds

MANILA, Philippines — At least 62 members of the House of Representatives are crying foul over their alleged loss of billions in infrastructure and health funds to their leaders and favored allies.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte yesterday said the House leadership has taken away a minimum of P92.3 billion from their districts.

Of that amount, he said P72.3 billion was for infrastructure projects, while P20 billion was for health facilities.

“The House leadership padded the pork barrel allocations of favorite members after the 2019 budget was approved by the two chambers of Congress,” he said.

Like Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Villafuerte claimed that what his colleagues did violated the Constitution.

The Bicol congressman said the diversion of funds from their districts to favored members delayed the enactment of the proposed national budget for this year.

By most accounts, 62 districts lost funds. Villafuerte counted 80 affected districts.

Another congressman who did not want to be named said the funds “hijacked” from their constituencies were for projects itemized by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and included in the proposed budget President Duterte submitted to Congress in July 2018.

“The effect would be many of DPWH’s priority projects listed as line items after thorough feasibility and engineering studies have been made, including ongoing and multi-year ones, will not be implemented this year,” he said.

He said the appropriations were diverted to favored House members’ projects the DPWH did not vet.

“The basic question is, why did the House alter the budget bill after it has been ratified? Why did the House not do it during committee, plenary or bicameral conference committee sessions?” he asked.

The complaining member pointed out that programs and projects that were deprived of funds were itemized in the President’s budget proposal, which the House had approved intact before sending it to the Senate.