Jinggoy Estrada, who exposed DAP funds for senators, welcomes raps vs. Aquino, Abad

Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday welcomed the filing of charges against former President Benigno Aquino III and former Budget Secretary Butch Abad in connection with the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

“While it took the Office of the Ombudsman almost five years to file the appropriate cases against the officials involved, this is still a welcome development,” Estrada said in a statement.

He added it was just proper to hold the officials who initiated DAP accountable.

“As declared by the Supreme Court, the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) is unconstitutional. It is only right that the budget officials who were the brains behind this unlawful policy be held accountable,” Estrada said.

It was Estrada who drew attention to the DAP in a privilege speech in 2013, when he said that senator-judges who voted to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona of impeachable offenses the year before were each given P50 million worth of projects.

The Ombudsman on Wednesday said Aquino and Abad would be charged for usurpation of legislative powers under Article 239 of the Revised Penal Code before the Sandiganbayan for alleged unlawful realignment of government savings by virtue of National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 541 to stimulate the economy during Aquino's term as president.

Both may each face a maximum prison sentence of six years if proven guilty.

Estrada in his speech said the allocation was "provided in a private and confidential letter" from then Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Drilon was the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance when the funds were distributed in 2012.

Drilon said he "may have" issued the confidential letter but added that the funds were not meant as "rewards" for senators who voted for Corona's conviction.

Rather, he said, these were meant to help the government meet spending targets.

Then Budget secretary Florencio Abad admitted the funds were from the DAP but maintained these were not bribes or incentives for senators.

The Aquino administration had said the DAP was a stimulus package initially meant to address sluggish government spending in 2011.

Abad said six percent of the 2011 DAP disbursements and 14 percent of the 2012 releases went to legislators.

The Aquino administration said the money went directly to the department implementing the project nominated by the lawmaker.

Estrada is facing plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam. —NB, GMA News