Rep. Edcel C. Lagman

House Minority Leader

29 October 2011

0916-6406737 / 0918-9120137

        There is need for Malacañang to clarify and explain the grey and nebulous areas shrouding the P5.0-M financial assistance to the MILF which the President approved and ordered remitted to the MILF.

 

        Before any accusations of treason or culpable violation of the constitution are raised, the following material questions must be fully answered first by the President’s men:

 

        (1)  If the donation or grant of P5.0 million was pursuant to an agreement during the Formal Exploratory Talks in Malaysia in 2007 to help establish the Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI), then Malacañang must produce the alleged agreement to validate the binding obligations of the contracting parties.

 

        (2) Under what parameters and conditions-precedent is the Republic of the Philippines obligated to remit financial assistance or is the donation already due and for how much?

 

        (3) Where and when was the amount delivered to the MILF or was the remittance made during the Tokyo secret meeting between the President and MILF Chieftain Murad or in Malaysia during the resumption of the peace talks?

 

        (4)  In what legal tender was the remittance made and was it in cash or check or an equivalent negotiable instrument?

 

        (5)  If it was in check, whose account was used; what was the drawer’s bank; who was the payee of the check; did the payee encash the check or was it deposited to what bank and to whose account; is the government now in possession of the returned negotiated check and ready to produce it?

 

        (6) Who personally remitted the financial assistance and who personally received the amount?

 

        (7) Where is the acknowledgment receipt documenting the transaction, particularly the purpose of its remittance?

 

        (8)  Under the acknowledgment receipt, is the MILF obligated to make an accounting and within what period of time?

 

        (9) What was the funding source of the P5.0 million? Was there an amount specifically appropriated in the GAA of 2011 for such financial assistance?

 

        (10) What is the exact amount of the financial assistance?

 

        (11) Was the total amount given really only P5.0-million? Isn’t this too small to have an impact while P5.0-billion is scandalously huge?

 

        (12) Pending the conclusion of the peace accord, is the MILF not considered a rebel and secessionist group which is fomenting discord and committing atrocities in Muslim Mindanao against Philippine soldiers and civilians until now, and therefore an enemy of the State?