Aquino: We didn’t deprive any lawmaker of ‘pork’

Congressmen, whether they are with the opposition or the administration, will not be deprived of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or more commonly known as “pork barrel," President Benigno Aquino III said Monday. “I think the record will show that we have not deprived anybody of the assistance that should be given their districts. I will not make future pronouncement. Let me just say that I have been to the record, you can look at it, see," Aquino told reporters. Each lawmaker, both from the House of Representatives and the Senate, is given millions of pesos worth of PDAF every year to finance special development projects for their respective constituencies. Aquino made the statement following a supposed text message of Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya threatening “zero" pork barrel for lawmakers who will not vote for the impeachment of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II branded it as a disinformation campaign after he talked with Abaya, chairman of the House appropriations committee, who denied sending such message. Aquino cited as “one of the best examples" the P2-billion allocation for the projects of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, his political nemesis. “If we were, as they said, vindictive and out for just vengeance, perhaps that should have been the first that should have been realigned," Aquino said. “We could have gotten political points in so many other areas. But upon review by the Department of Public Works and Highways, there have been previous points that need this component to actualize their potential. So we agreed for it to continue," he added. - Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News