THE militant Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday warned that the P20-billion allotment for agricultural infrastructure projects next year might be used to finance the electoral campaign of administration candidates in 2010.

In a statement, Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap said the P20 billion agricultural infrastructure funds are meant for “farm-to-pocket” road projects.

“High crimes of corruption are written all over the P20-billion agricultural infrastructure projects next year. It is meant to fund all-time high farm-to-pocket road projects, instead of farm-to-market road projects,” Hicap said.

Despite the assurance of House Speaker Prospero Nograles that the funds will not be used to finance the electoral campaign of proadministration candidates in the 2010 national elections, Hicap said: “Corruption is the life blood of the administration because it enables President Arroyo to buy the political loyalty of politicians all over the country.”

The House of Representatives allotted P20.7 billion for infrastructure requirements of the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization program or about one-seventh of the P147.47-billion budget for national infrastructure next year.

“The budget for the infrastructure projects for agriculture and fisheries modernization program alone is so big and extremely shocking. It is like pro-Arroyo politicians in and out of the bureaucracy are telling their president that they have ran out of cash to corrupt and they need another national bailout from Malacañang,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya reminded both houses of Congress that the Department of Agriculture (DA), under the watch of President Arroyo and stewardship of Secretary Arthur Yap, has become the epicenter of corruption in the Arroyo government.

The group was referring to the P728-million fertilizer scam; the P5-billion swine scam in 2004; the P218.7-million hybrid rice program anomalies and the P135-million vegetable scam in 2008 as discovered by the Commission on Audit last year.

“The P20.7-billion infrastructure budget for the DA is like a multibillion- peso reward for [the] DA for championing plunder and corruption. This is really detestable to the highest order,” Hicap said.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is getting the lion’s share with P99.72 billion, while the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Program will have P20.7 billion in infrastructure funds. Likewise, the Agrarian Reform Fund has P3.36 billion for infraprojects.

The Department of Health would use P1.5 billion for potable-water supply infrastructure while the Department of Education is allotted some P8.52 billion for its school building program.

The Department of Transportation and Communications will have P14.85 billion, of which P7.75 billion would cover airports and navigational facilities, P151 million for ports and lighthouses and the rest for other projects, while the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is appropriated some P1.16 billion in infrastructure funds.

Local government units are also allotted P1.03-billion infrastructure budget, which includes P631.37 million for the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and flood-control projects.

Of the total P147.47 billion overall infra-outlays for 2009, P112.5 billion will be locally funded while some P34.96 billion are foreign-funded programs.

Commander Bravo abandoned by his men, says military official

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The top military official in Western Mindanao disclosed on Sunday that rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Abdulrahman Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo, who led the attack in Lanao del Norte province, is losing his grip on his followers.

Drugstores: Government must share subsidy burden

SMALL drugstores see their viability getting threatened by new congressional initiatives to increase the discounts to senior citizens to 30 percent and to accord the 20-percent discount privilege also to disabled persons.

Nograles assailed for refusing to calendar compensation bill

A FORMER member of the House of Representatives on Sunday slammed House Speaker Prospero Nograles for reneging on his promise to hasten the resolution of the long-pending compensation bill that would allow the 10,000 human-rights victims of the Marcos regime to benefit from the P10-billion funds the government set aside for them.

P5.3 billion needed to hire 39,000 public-school teachers

THE government was asked to set aside P5.3 billion to hire an additional 39,000 teachers, which Sen. Richard Gordon said is needed to balance the public school system’s teacher-to-student ratio in order to ensure that pupils are given the necessary guidance by their mentors.

‘Beyond tainted milk, smoke out smuggled food’

THE recent discovery of smuggled milk from China should force the government to finally deal with illegally imported food, Senate Majority Leader and independent Sen. Kiko Pangilinan said on Sunday.

Group suspects corruption in P20-billion agriculture projects

THE militant Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday warned that the P20-billion allotment for agricultural infrastructure projects next year might be used to finance the electoral campaign of administration candidates in 2010.

Peace group wants transparency in inspecting US military facilities

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Citizens Peace Watch (CPW) has challenged authorities to allow an independent body “with credibility and integrity” to inspect US military facilities in this city and other parts of Mindanao.