Joker to Palace: RestoreP2B cut to rights victims - 08.15.2006

SEN. Joker Arroyo yesterday demanded that Malacañang restore the P2 billion that it slashed from the original P10 billion allocation for human rights victims in a proposed measure that President Arroyo certified as urgent early this year.

"This is close to my cause. I want this answered," Arroyo told Cabinet officials led by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. during a Senate briefing on the proposed P46.4 billion supplemental budget.

Arroyo said he was surprised to learn that after certifying as urgent the P10-billion measure that would benefit human rights victims, the President ordered it slashed to P8 billion. The amount would be taken from the recovered ill-gotten Marcos wealth.

The bill is pending in both chambers.

The senator said that during a committee of the whole session last January, then budget secretary Romulo Neri gave the assurance that this would be corrected and could be re-funded from the balance of P5 billion that would also be sourced from the Marcos wealth.

Andaya, however, said the P5 billion could not be realigned for the human rights victims since it was already earmarked for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Senate finance chair Sen. Franklin Drilon said this was also his understanding.

"I will confirm this, your honor," Andaya said.

Arroyo, nevertheless, said he hoped that Andaya would honor the commitment made by Neri.

"I will honor it as long the Senate would approve P1 billion for the CARP this year," Andaya said.

He added: "We can also increase it to P10 billion but adding P2 billion would mean subtracting from the CARP."

An irked Arroyo said the CARP beneficiaries "did not suffer, did not die" during martial law to entitle them to the lion’s share of the recovered Marcos loot.

"They were not killed and tortured. Let’s be fair," Arroyo said. – Dennis Gadil