BY PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA – Iloilo City’s Sen. Franklin Drilon dismissed as a “blatant lie” the report accusing him of receiving P1 billion in Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) funds for various projects in Western Visayas.
Drilon’s DAP allocation went to the construction of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project – Phase II, the Iloilo Convention and the Iloilo River Development Program, according to a “Manila Standard Today” report on Sept. 1.
The Jalaur dam project in Calinog, Iloilo was allotted P450 million in DAP funds, the report quoted Abakada party-list’s Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz as saying.
The Iloilo Convention Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City and the Iloilo River program received P100 million and P150 million, respectively, from the legislator’s DAP allocation, dela Cruz added.
Drilon admitted having been allocated DAP funds but only P100 million for the state-of-the-art Iloilo Convention Center.
“(The report was) a blatant lie…and pure speculations. I will not dignify (it) with a response,” said the veteran legislator.
He appealed to media not to give credence “to these speculations” because it only worsens the country’s “already toxic political environment.”
“Let us go on and work so that we can continue on with good governance. Hindi naman po ito nakakatulong sa ating objective, which is to provide better governance for our country,” said the Ilonggo legislator./PN
