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Miriam wants crowdsourced petition vs. DAP

Miriam wants crowdsourced petition vs. DAP

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is set to initiate a crowd-sourced petition in social media to encourage what she calls young and idealistic lawyers to question the constitutionality of the disbursement acceleration program (DAP) before the Supreme Court.

Santiago earlier said the DAP funds which were given to a number of lawmakers are illegal as these were not contained in the 2011 or 2012 budgets.

The DAP could not be considered legal, the Senator added, since funding for the program were taken from slow-moving projects and cannot be considered as savings.

The Constitution only allows fund transfers if there are savings from completed projects, Santiago said.

The DAP became subject to scrutiny after Budget Sec. Butch Abad confirmed that Senators received additional fund releases as part of this program, which Abad said was designed as a way to increase spending and help accelerate economic expansion.

Abad made the confirmation after Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said Malacañang released additional funds as incentives to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Abad said it is irresponsible to call these DAP releases as bribes since this was not the first time releases like this were made. In 2011, when economic growth slowed to 3.6%, the government also accommodated requests for project funding from legislators.

Malacañang meanwhile insisted the administration never rewarded those who voted for Corona’s impeachment and that the DAP has legal basis.


READ: Miriam: Scandalous DAP is presidential pork

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