Vizcaya solon:I started probe on ‘ghost’ projects

Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla said Wednesday he was the one who initiated the Commission on Audit inquiry into supposedly “ghost” projects funded through his pork barrel.

Clarifying a report in a national daily, Padilla said he had written COA Assistant Commissioner Arcadio Cuenco Jr. as early as Aug. 2, 2011 to conduct the audit when he received information about the alleged misuse of his pork barrel fund.

He said Cuenco informed him a few days later that auditors would examine the use of portions of his fund, which he allocated to several towns for livelihood projects.

He said he told the COA official that charges should be filed against all those responsible for the irregularity.

Padilla is seeking re-election as representative of the lone congressional district of Nueva Vizcaya.

Some town mayors have reportedly told auditors that they were not aware of any livelihood project funded by their congressman’s pork barrel.

In areas where such projects were undertaken, local officials said the participants were not their constituents.

It was earlier reported the Commission on Audit is investigating reports that Rep. Padilla’s PDAF or pork barrel is going to non-existent recipients through a Manila-based foundation.

Susan Garcia, COA Special Audits Office director, said they are looking into the disbursement of Padilla’s PDAF to Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc., which is said to be conducting livelihood and skills training for farmers in this province.

The mayors of at least five towns here told COA that they were not aware of any training and distribution of livelihood kits and technology materials funded by Padilla’s PDAF through the foundation.

Local officials added that some of the supposed beneficiaries of the training were not residents of their respective municipalities.

“I don’t recognize any of the listed participants or names as our constituents. Definitely they are not residents of the municipality,” said Mayor Norma Miguel, whose Diadi town is one of the listed beneficiaries of Padilla’s PDAF.

Padilla did not respond earlier to text messages by newsmen when sought for comment.

COA also learned that the names in the supposed list of individual recipients of the program have no specific addresses.

The documents did not also state the amount of pork barrel funds used for the program for each municipality.

Each congressman is entitled to P70 million in pork barrel funds.