Palace to comply with lawful and legal processes for DAP

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MANILA — Malacanang will continue complying with lawful and legal processes as it reaffirms that the Executive branch exercised good faith and due diligence in implementing various programs and projects included in the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. stressed this in a press briefing on Thursday amid plan of the Ombudsman to conduct an investigation into the DAP.

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

He said such legal processes also include pertinent auditing rules and procedures.

Coloma stressed that the Supreme Court (SC) affirmed the authority of President Benigno S. Aquino III as Chief Executive to implement the DAP as a stimulus program to achieve economic growth, and as administrative system of prioritizing spending.

“Yung priority to the programs, activities and projects na mas makakatulong doon sa economic growth and even the result was acknowledged by the Supreme Court. Ngayon, ‘nung towards the end of 2013, ang opinyon ng economic cluster ay natamo na ‘yung objectives kaya wala nang hinihingi na kinakailangang magpatupad pa ng ganoong approach,” he said.

Citing the decision of the High Tribunal, the PCOO chief said “the implementation of the DAP yielded undeniably positive results that enhanced the economic welfare of the country.”

“To count the positive results may be impossible but the visible ones, like public infrastructure, could easily include roads, bridges, homes for the homeless, hospitals, classrooms and the like,” Coloma said.

The SC on Tuesday declared unconstitutional some provisions of the DAP.

“We will review the (SC) decision further to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its ramifications and study the appropriate legal options,” he added.