THE reported distribution of the cash gifts in the guise of additional maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) to 18 senators in 2012 is reportedly causing demoralization within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).    

   

According to some soldiers who requested anonymity, they were saddened upon learning that lawmakers agreed to accept over P2-million last Christmas as additional expenses when they could have donated the supposed “savings” to typhoon Pablo (international codename: Bopha) victims in Mindanao.

One soldier said that he only received half of his bonus last year because the other half was ordered donated to the thousands of residents who were affected by Pablo that devastated large parts of the provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley.

He clarified that he is not against donating half of his bonus to calamity victims because they really need immediate assistance but the members of the Senate could have provided more for the victims with the supposed “savings.”

The soldier was referring to the reported P2.2 million, which Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile ordered distributed to senators in three tranches. The first trance was in the amount of P600,000, which was distributed to all 23 senators in November.

The balance was divided into two tranches of P1.3 million, P318,000 and  released before the Christmas holiday break, but only 18 senators received the amount.

Enrile admitted that he ordered the exclusion of Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Antonio Trillanes 4th and Pia Cayetano in the succeeding MOOE releases and have the amount intended for the four used by the Senate for its other expenditures.

The Manila Times source is just one of the many affected by the issue currently hounding the Senate and that the chamber could have avoided it if only they decided to just donate its savings to help the victims of the typhoon.

For his part, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said that he was saddened by what he considered the “spin” of the media to mislead the people that the additional expenses distributed to senators was a Christmas gift.

Lacson, one of the two senators who consistently refused to accept their Priority Development Assistance Fund, or “pork barrel,” maintained that all the funds that his office received including the P2.2 million additional expenses always ended up with his finance officers and disbursed in accordance with law.

The additional MOOE, he added, is also subject to auditing by the Commission on Audit just like any other government institution.

The Times tried to get the side of other senators on the matter to no avail.

Just like GMA
Enrile’s distribution of additional MOOE to “select” members of the Senate is reminiscent of the administration of then president and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of Pampanga province, wherein lawmakers who were not allied with the were treated unfairly.

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano made it clear that money was not the issue because his office could still function even without the additional P1.6 million received by each of the 18 senators before the Christmas break, what is very concerning is the unfair treatment of the Senate president to the members of the chamber.

“I thought that we are now in a straight path [daang matuwid] how come the GMA [Gloria Macapaga-Arroyo] tactics is still being observed?” Cayetano asked, referring to the unfair treatment of the former president to the members of the minority in congress then.

Cayetano reminded Enrile that his tactics will not convince him to change his views and principles especially on measures, which he thinks would be beneficial to the people.

“I’m already used to such kind of tactics during the former administration and he [Enrile] can do whatever he wants to do. We will continue to function and still work hard and give our best,” he said.

Cayetano also reminded the senators to be transparent and not be offended by the additional expenses, which was made public because even the chamber is against those government agencies that are not practicing transparency.

Some senators already expressed their willingness to undergo scrutiny by the Audit department and expressed assurance that all expenditures made using the additional expenses are properly documented.

Santiago in separate interview insisted that the senate president has no right, under the Constitution, to distribute any amount from the savings of the Senate to select member of the chamber.

She said that the Senate president should answer the issue directly and show the exact provision in the constitution that states that he can augment the savings of the Senate as additional expenses of selected senators.

The Senate president, she added is accountable to public opinion and anybody can bring the case to the Supreme Court in order to shed light on the matter.

Santiago, however, said that she is willing to bring it to the Supreme Court, though she cannot do so because she might be among those that may be summoned by the International Criminal Court this March.

“I challenge him [Enrile] to a debate in legal terms alone in any forum in the Philippines covered by media,” Santiago said in an interview at the Centro Escolar University in Manila.