Probing the PDAF

EDITORIAL

A full blown inquiry into the alleged ten billion pesos Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam is being pushed in the Senate by Sen. ChizEscudero in the 16^th Congress.

Escudero filed Senate Resolution Number 40 (PSRN 40) directing the Blue Ribbon committee to conduct an inquiry into the said scam purportedly involving the Janet Lim-Napoles Group.

The scam was bared in an investigative report which showed how the PDAF collectively known as pork barrel was released to dummy non-government organizations through forgery, falsification and bribery.

“Accountability and transparency in government dictates that this report must be quizzically looked into, not only for the representatives of the people to clarify their respective positions, if some may be involved, but to show to every Filipino as well that neither sacred cows nor the notion of an “old boys’ club” exists in a government working for change” Escudero explained in his resolution.

The senator said the scam is damaging to the country as a whole and besmirching the names of all congressmen and senators in general.

“It has become a painful misconception that the PDAF is a cash allocation given to congressmen and senators with unlimited discretion to disburse and spend with neither constraints nor accountability. But to the contrary, legislators do not handle the funds and implement the projects. Their participation is but limited to the designation of beneficiaries and identification of projects, and the implementation is undertaken by government agencies concerned”.

Escudero said the designation of PDAF beneficiaries and how it purportedly mutated into a multi-billion government racket or scam allegedly by the Janet Lim-Napoles (JLN) Group of Companies must be scrutinized and must see an end where legislative and preventive measures are enacted to address this disturbing matter.

Indeed, the people and the nation have to make sure that everyone adheres to the principles of good governance when it comes to public funds.