Noy will take full responsibility for DAP

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during his visit to Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc. at the Laguna Technopark, Biñan City, Laguna on Thursday (May 1). (Photo by Lauro Montillano / /Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA – Following the Supreme Court’s (SC) unfavorable ruling on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), Malacañang yesterday announced that President Aquino will be taking full responsibility for the controversial DAP.

Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office said that the officials involved are only acting their role as the president’s alter ego.

“In the final analysis, the President is the chief executive and the members of the Cabinet performed the role of alter ego, and whatever role that they perform is only an extension of the personality of the President himself,” he said.

Coloma also added that the all actions involving the administration’s Cabinet members are also part of the president’s responsibility.

“Regarding the appointment or maintaining the services of Cabinet members, that’s the responsibility of the President as chief executive and he’s performing his task based on his judgment,” he said.

The court on Tuesday, through a ruling made available to the public the following day of the ruling’s release, has declared certain acts under the fund scheme to be unconstitutional.

Calls for resignation of the president and the other officials involved in the controversial DAP, followed after reports of the court’s ruling were made public.

Malacañang however, defended the fund scheme saying the funds involved had benefited Filipinos by contributing in the economic improvement of the country.

Coloma also emphasized Malacañang’s earlier statement that the government has conducted their actions in “good faith”

“We affirm that we have exercised good faith and due diligence, and there are lawful processes for establishing accountability, and we are, we have been abiding by and complying with all of those processes and will continue to do so,” Coloma said.