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Janet Garin denies telling solons DOH still had pork funds for their use
Health Undersecretary Janet Garin on Tuesday denied that she had indicated to some members of the House of Representatives that lawmakers could still identify projects for their constituencies under a pork barrel fund mechanism supposedly under the Department of Health.
Garin's alleged remarks in a meeting with House members were among the pieces of evidence Alliance of Concerned Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and several other complainants submitted to the House secretariat in support of a fourth impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino III.
The complainants had a CD recording of Garin's alleged remarks.
Tinio and the other complainants charged Aquino will culpable violation of the Constitution for allegedly continuing the pork barrel system despite a Supreme Court ruling striking it down as unconstitutional.
Garin's alleged remarks in a meeting with House members were among the pieces of evidence Alliance of Concerned Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and several other complainants submitted to the House secretariat in support of a fourth impeachment complaint against President Benigno Aquino III.
The complainants had a CD recording of Garin's alleged remarks.
Tinio and the other complainants charged Aquino will culpable violation of the Constitution for allegedly continuing the pork barrel system despite a Supreme Court ruling striking it down as unconstitutional.
During an interview in GMA's “News to Go” program on Tuesday, Garin said there was no truth to the accusations hurled against by Tinio.
“'Yung sinasabi ni Congressman Tinio na mga allegations na nagsabi ako na buhay pa 'yung pork barrel [sa DOH] that's entirely false. Hindi ako nagsabi ng ganyan,” Garin said.
Garin said the audio recording in question was a closed-door executive session in the House of Representatives which tackled a new program that would be funded by the proceeds from sin tax collection.
“Kasama sa batas yan. Part of the sin taxes ibabalik mo health-wise and there's a medical assistance program that will be spearheaded by the Department of Health on all government hospitals.... Unfortunately it's being tainted now as a program na sinasabing pork barrel,” she said.
Under the pork barrel system, lawmakers are allowed to identify projects for their respective constituencies after the enactment of the national budget. The projects will then be funded by discretionary allocations from the executive branch.
It has since been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Under the pork barrel system, lawmakers are allowed to identify projects for their respective constituencies after the enactment of the national budget. The projects will then be funded by discretionary allocations from the executive branch.
It has since been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
“I think it's because Congressman Tinio, in an interview he had with a certain newspaper, parang twisted the facts na this orientation happened a few days ago which is not true kasi this happened during the previous budget deliberation,” Garrin said.
Aquino currently faces three impeachment complaints.
Two of these complaints are over the Disbursement Acceleration Program while one is over the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the US. —Andrei Medina/NB, GMA News
Tags: bantaykaban, impeachment
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