The political opposition should stop blaming President Benigno Aquino III for the irregularities uncovered in the disbursement of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) because these were committed before he assumed office in 2010, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said.

Barzaga, the vice president for external affairs of the National Unity Party (NUP),  said the PDAF scam was merely uncovered during Mr. Aquino’s term, but that does not mean the chief executive was involved in the anomalies. 


“It would be downright stupid and irresponsible to blame President Aquino for the pork barrel scam. He had nothing to do with it,” Barzaga said.

As for Cabinet members linked to the scam, Barzaga noted that their alleged irregular acts were committed before they joined Mr. Aquino’s official family.

Barzaga also  pointed out that the Congress is a separate and co-equal branch of the Executive Branch, not its subordinate. “Lawmakers are elected officials who are accountable for their own actions,” he said.

“How can critics blame the President for the shenanigans committed even before he was catapulted to power? It just so happened that it was uncovered during his term, so why lay the blame on him?” Barzaga added.

The lawmaker said the President should not be pilloried for mustering the political will to institute reforms and fight corruption on his watch.


“I consider these events as the fruits of the President’s call for transparency and accountability,” Barzaga said, noting that the filing of charges against those involved in the scam is a big step  in “cleansing” the bureaucracy.