PNoy will survive controversial DAP–Palace

President Benigno S. Aquino III, accompanied by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., reviews the honor guard prior to his departure from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal II on Tuesday (June 24, 2014) to attend the Summit Meeting & Working Lunch with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo and the Consolidation for Peace for Mindanao Conference in Hiroshima organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Research and Education for Peace of the Universiti Sains Malaysia. (Photo by Rolando Mailo/Malacañang Photo Bureau/PNA)

MANILA – Despite persistent calls for him to resign following the Supreme Court’s (SC) declaration of several portions on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) to be unconstitutional, Palace said they believe that the president will survive the controversy.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda made the statement in a press briefing yesterday saying that the president already was confronted with the question on his survivability during the SC’s declaration of the creation of the Truth Commission to be unconstitutional.

The Truth Commission was created in 2010 through the Executive No. 1 and was declared unconstitutional because it “violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution.”

The court, which was then headed by ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona, said that the Truth Commission was not in line with the Constitution because it only focused on the Arroyo administration.

Lacierda also criticized the court’s ruling asking officials to prove good faith in the use of DAP funds.

“I’m not a political analyst, but only time will tell,” Lacierda said.

He however, believes that as government officials, they have the responsibility to inform the people about the fund scheme and its effects.

““I suppose that’s our role that we need to explain to people, to our countrymen… what was the purpose for the Disbursement Acceleration Program,” Lacierda said.