There would be more questions raised against the use of funds allocated under the Disbursement Acceleration Plan (DAP) on uneconomical activity that did not in fact generate employment opportunities. Will the government, for instance, go after the Cojuangco-owned HLI to recover the DAP money when President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco 3rd is himself a member of the family that owns the company? Being one of the heirs to HLI’s vast landholdings, Aquino is not expected to willingly lose his own inheritance.
As far as the Department of Agrarian Reform is concerned, DAP’s P471.5 million went to HLI. Here is a quote from a press release issued by DAR on the issue: “We must also remember that the Supreme Court had not yet decided with finality the Hacienda Luisita case when the acceleration of the cash release for landowners compensation was approved in 2011,” said DAR Undersecretary Anthony Paruñgao.
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