KIKO PANGILINAN QUESTIONS P4 BILLION FUNDS RELEASES
FOR AGRI IN 2010 ELECTION PERIOD

Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan expresses concern over the 4 billion pesos released for the Department of Agriculture during the months of February and March 2010.

"These funds released during the election period are of serious concern. Is this another scam? We must dig deeper. We are very concerned about this."

Pangilinan, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, was made aware of said funds by the Department of Budget and Management during the DA's budget hearing at the senate. Documents presented by Senator Frank Drilon in the hearing shows that on February 22, 2010 P3.65 billion was released by the OIC Secretary of Agriculture, P400 million of which was released to ARMM alone. Said documents also show that an additional P1.246 billion was then released on March 23, 2010.

"If there is malversation of funds, we must punish all those that are accountable."