DAVAO CITY – Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares urged candidates for the 2016 elections to discuss pork barrel issue as a top election issue.
“The pork barrel issue should also be one of the top election issues and those running for president, vice-president, senator and congressman must state their stand now whether they are for or against the abolition of the pork barrel, whether it be presidential or congressional pork,” said Colmenares.
Colmenares said that “as it is, pork barrel is defined as any lump sum under the discretion of an individual and with the budget that passed the House of Representatives pork barrel is strewn all over the 2015 budget and even outside the budget.”
“That is why it is not true that there is no pork in the 2015 budget. Mahirap itong itago dahil napakalaki nito (It is difficult to hide because it is very big),” said Colmenares.
Colmenares said they are calling on the public to mount protests against the pork barrel system.
“We also demand an immediate audit of all Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) pork,” he said.(davaotoday.com)
