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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lawmakers deny receiving gov't funds for attending Romualdez's out-of-town sorties

Lawmakers deny receiving gov't funds for attending Romualdez's out-of-town sorties

Published Mar 25, 2025 12:24 pm

At A Glance

  • Lawmakers have denied claims that they receive social amelioration funds in exchange for their attendance to House Speaker Martin Romualdez out-of-town sorties.

Lawmakers have denied claims that they receive social amelioration funds in exchange for their attendance to House Speaker Martin Romualdez out-of-town sorties.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan on Tuesday, March 25, said he hasn't seen anyone or experienced being offered government funds just to attend any of Romualdez's activities.

He disputed Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who claimed as early as January 2025 that Romualdez was giving away money allegedly from the government's social amelioration programs to solons who attend the latter's sorties.

Specifically, Magalong claimed that Romualdez was giving a P7-million fund from Ayuda sa Kapos and Kita Program (AKAP), another P7-million from Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), and another P7-million from Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program—a schemed he called "7-7-7."

"Yung sinasabing 2025 na iyong GAA (General Appropriation Act) ay election funds, lahat ng disbursements hindi po nakikialam ang mga politiko (Those allegations that the election funds come from the 2025 GAA aren't true. Politicians have no say about its disbursement)," he said.

He said that if there are any irregularities in the distribution of government aid to the people, anyone can go to the duly established authorities and file complaints.

"Nandyan naman ang ating mga husgado at pwede magpunta sa House to clarify sa mga charges na binabato (We have courts. The House of Representatives is also open to clarify these allegations)," he said.

Libanan also said no one from the minority bloc has ever reported receiving such funds.

“In addition to that, I am the leader of the minority and they have not received any report of the minority. Any member of the minority telling me na mayroong ganong mga mga 7 AICS, 7 AKAP wala po akong narinig na ganyan (that there's a 7-7-7 scheme, I haven't heard any of it)," he said.

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez also denied such practice.

“I’m not part of the leadership. I am a regular member of this House, but just to answer anecdotally, I don’t think I’ve had the experience that would answer that question in the affirmative,” Gutierrez said.

He said that the funds that were being questioned were all administered by national government agencies.

Related Tags

Martin Romualdez AKAP Benjamin Magalong
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