BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – The Disbursement Acceleration Program was a reward for legislators who voted for the impeachment of then Chief Justice Renato Corona, said Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito.
Ejercito, who served as congressman of San Juan City, was among the 118 members of the Lower House who signed the impeachment complaint against Corona.
“Kung titingnan ang listahan ng nakatanggap ng P10 million, ang karamihan doon ay bumoto for impeachment. A week after we voted for Corona’s impeachment, we were advised that we’ll be getting an additional P10 million on top of our regular allocation,” said Ejercito in the weekly “Kapihan sa Senado”.
According to him, it was a “reward” because his best friend, Navotas’ Cong. Toby Tiangco who was against Corona’s impeachment, failed to receive the additional funding.
He pointed out, however, that it was not mentioned to him that the P10 million was as reward for anti-Corona legislators or that it came from the government’s DAP.
“Na-excite ako na i-uwi sa distrito. I admit my fault that I was remiss in my duty to verify where it came from and for what purpose. Inaamin ko doon ako nagkulang,” said Ejercito.
His DAP funds, he explained, went to the National Dairy Authority and Technology Resource Center for milk distribution for children and business process outsourcing training, respectively, in his district.
Ejercito claimed he only knew about DAP when he sat as a senator in 2013.
He believed the additional funds came from savings or the regular Priority Development Assistance Fund.
But if the Supreme Court asks legislators to return DAP, the lawmaker said he is willing to return the funds.
“Since it was declared unconstitutional, we have no choice but to follow, to return whatever we can to government. I can pay out of my own pocket,” Ejercito said./PN
