Impeachment complaint vs President Aquino not a priority — Palace

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda

MANILA — Malacanang on Monday reiterated that there is no truth to the allegations contained in the impeachment complaints against President Benigno S. Aquino III.

“That (impeachment complaint) is not a priority for us. The allegations that the President committed wrongdoing is, certainly…we do not agree with,” said Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda during a press briefing in Malacanang.

This as another impeachment complaint has been filed against the President before the House of Representatives for his alleged continuance of the pork barrel system that was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

This is the fourth impeachment complaint filed against the Chief Executive.

The complaint signed by 16 complainants led by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio accuses the President of alleged betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution for allowing the “continued existence of the illegal congressional pork.”

Lacierda, during the press briefing, quoted a text message from Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, saying “there is no more PDAF (priority development assistance fund) or pork barrel in the 2014 budget.”

He explained that the participation of lawmakers in proposing or nominating projects in the 2014 budget as well as in the proposed 2015 budget is their job and not a defiance of the Supreme Court rule that declared the pork barrel unconstitutional.

“Congress, in the exercise of its legislative functions, can provide funds during budget authorization. This is the phase where they are allowed to do that under the Constitution — under the Supreme Court decision,” said Lacierda, quoting further the text message of Ungab.

He noted that lawmakers are supposed to be part of the budget proposal stage, but when it comes to budget execution, lawmakers are prohibited from getting involved.

Meanwhile, Lacierda said the Aquino administration will not make any move to thwart the fourth impeachment complaint lodged against the President.

“We will let the impeachment complaint, impeachment proceeding take its course in Congress,” he said.