House official on ‘pork’ distribution: Majority rules

MANILA, Philippines — The leadership of the House of Representatives has declared that it will protect the interest of a majority of its 292 members even if 62 others have been affected by realignments in the distribution of pork barrel fund allocations.

House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro made this assertion as he refuted claims by Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte – who he said is identified with the camp of ousted speaker Pantaleon Alvarez – of irregularities in the realignment of funds.  

“If Villafuerte and other allies of the previous House leadership are not happy with their share of the national budget, there are more than 200 congressmen who think otherwise,” the lone congressman from Capiz pointed out.  

“Unlike before, programs and projects are now equitably funded for all legislative districts, regardless of their congressmen’s political affiliation and votes on legislative districts,” he said, noting that Alvarez imposed zero pork allocations to those who refuse to toe his line.  

“We made sure that the 2019 budget is not only constitutional and legal. It is also transparent, with the list of projects itemized per district. This way, our taxpayers will know who are accountable for these projects,” Castro added. 

But Villafuerte remained unconvinced, saying the House leader’s claims “merely obfuscate the unconstitutional moves by the House leadership this congressional break that had stalled the implementation of the 2019 budget.”  

“I did not get any funds for my district in the same way that the current House leadership had illegally realigned public works and other program funds for the benefit of a select group of congresspersons,” the Bicolano lawmaker shot back.

Villafuerte likewise described as “baloney” claims that he benefitted from Alvarez’s leadership when he was allocated P2.7 billion in pork barrel funds for his second district in Camarines Sur of which P1.2 billion was included in the P75-billion insertion.

“This is baloney from a political chameleon like him,” he said. “My district deserves such funds as these were legit projects under the NEP that President Duterte submitted to the Congress after his 3rd SONA. There was nothing hanky-panky about this.”

“There is nothing phony or fake about my allegations on the unconstitutional abomination committed by the House leadership because these were based on official data analyzed by the Senate Legislative Budget Management and Research Office,” Villafuerte added.

He also lashed back at Castro for insinuating about his shift in loyalties.

“Rep. Castro is the last person to be talking about shifting loyalties because he is the quintessential brownnoser who had adroitly wormed his way into the graves of the new House leadership after similarly currying favor with the previous leadership,” he said.

“He is political opportunism in person,” Villafuerte emphasized. “As majority leader, he seems to be trying hard to be forked-tongued like his immediate predecessor,” he added, referring to his political nemesis Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr.