Abad denies P752M release to wife

MANILA - Budget Secretary Butch Abad on Tuesday rejected allegations that his wife, Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad, received a P752 million budget allocation for her district. Speaking to ANC's Headstart, Abad said he does not know how former Iloilo congressman Augusto "Buboy" Syjuco, Jr. came up with the figure. "That's absolutely a lie. There is no such thing...My wife came out with a release that showed how much money was allocated for the province," he said in the interview. He said a check with the General Appropriations Act would show that no P752 million was made to Batanes. "We won't over each and every one of them and there is nothing about P752 million...They may have added up everything that went to Batanes by way of [Department of Health] budget...but that is not, we have not seen the complaint," he added. He also said each government agency has programs in every province "whether it is [Department of the Interior and Local Government, DOH or other agencies." Syjuco has filed a plunder complaint against Abad, his wife and Sen. Franklin Drilon for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. He said the P752.5 million allocation to Mrs. Abad was released upon the approval of Drilon who was then chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.