Butch Abad grilled over DAP-funded car for COA, stem cell research project

Budget Secretary Florencio Butch Abad answers questions during Thursdays Senate hearing on the Disbursement Acceleration Program. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines Senator Nancy Binay on ThursdaygrilledBudget Secretary Florencio Butch Abad over the use of the Disbursement AccelerationProgram (DAP) to buy a car worth P5 million for the Commission on Audit (COA) and P70-million allocation for a stem cell researchproject, among others, of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCOP).

During thehearing of the Senate committee on finance on DAP, Binayconfronted Abad over COA chairpersonGrace Pulido-Tans earlier admission in one of the Senate hearings that a service car of one of the COAs commissioners came from funds under the DAP.

Abad confirmedthat a P5-million budget for the car was part of the P143-million allocation given to theCOA under theDAP.

Kasama po yun sa requests nila, Mr. Chair (That is included in their requests),he toldthe committee.

But Binaywondered why the funding request for thevehicle did not reflect in the DAP recordsfor COA titled: IT infrastructure program andhiring of additional litigation experts.

Wala ho akong nakikitang kotse dito (I cant see any car on the list), the senator said.

Kasi maliit na lang ho yun , mga P5M yata yung involved (Because it was just a small amount, just around P5Mwas involved), Abad said.

But the mere fact that you gave them money for a car? Bakit hindi nyo sinabi naP5 million lang naman,kunin na lang yan sa savings nyo (Why didnt you just tell them to get the P5 million from their savings) Binay asked.

Sa totoo lang, malaki ho ang hiningi nila dyan e kung hindi ako nagkakamali. At nagkaroon ng mahabang usapan hanggang nauwi dyan sa halagang yan (Honestly, they were asking for a bigger amount for that (purchase) if I am not mistaken. We had a lengthy discussion until we reached that amount), Abadsaid.

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Butch Abad grilled over DAP-funded car for COA, stem cell research project