By Christian V. Esguerra
The Philippine Daily Inquirer
A militant lawmaker Friday questioned Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap over the purported release of at least P3 billion in irrigation funds during the campaign period for the May 2007 elections.
Speaking during the House budget deliberations, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said the funds were released in two batches--P500 million in January and P2.6 billion in March.
He noted its similarity to the controversial release of fertilizer funds during the May 2004 elections. He was referring to the P2.8 billion fertilizer scam allegedly involving former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante.
"I hope this time in irrigation, it won't happen again," Ocampo said.
Yap, who attended the budget hearings to justify his department's proposed P25.9 billion budget for 2008, explained that the timing of the release of the funds was merely "coincidental" with the May 2007 elections.
"But that's really the period when we needed to repair (irrigation facilities) because there was no rain," he told the lawmaker. "The dry season is the best time to undertake all infrastructure repairs for irrigation."
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