TEACHERS under the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) were not surprised to Pnoy’s decision to suspend only the disbursement of pork barrel. Essentially, he likes to keep the pork barrel system for himself and his political allies.
“No amount of new guidelines can cover a crime. Misuse of public funds is a crime. We therefore hold Pres. Aquino equally responsible of this crime for a decision glowing with self-serving interest,” Mr.Benjie Valbuena, President of ACT said.
We maintain that the pork barrel system should be abolished because it is inherently anti-people and anti-development. In the first place, how and where to use people’s taxes is not a function of the lawmakers. It is the national government that decides on priorities, not lawmakers who use pork barrel funds to” buy back” supporters who have campaigned for them.
In a separate statement, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said Aquino’s suspension of releases of Congressional pork barrel funds is a token act intended to take the heat off of the hated pork barrel and then save it ultimately.
But then, President Aquino belabours how to punish corrupt legislators who were Napoles’ accomplices.” A crime is a crime and therefore, master and culprits must be persecuted and jailed, Mr. Valbuena added.
Pnoy cannot decide to abolish pork barrel because he stands to lose a trillion which is a source of graft and corruption. “He need not look further; public services including education need those funds. If PNoy will not heed the people’s call to abolish the pork barrel system, as the people have already expressed distrust – he may have to step down or face the teachers and people’s rage at the gates of Malacanan,” Mr. Valbuena said.
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