The left-leaning Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) pointed out that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself condones ex-agri. Sec. Luisito Lorenzo’s extravagant spending of government funds. According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group, “by appointing Lorenzo as chair of the Landbank and QUEDANCOR as well as Presidential Adviser for Jobs Generation (PAJG), Gloria’s blessing on Cito’s overspending is apparent. We would also like to point out that these multiple appointments of Lorenzo are highly irregular and can only be given to one of GMA’s favorite ra-ra boys,”

“Being the chair of the Land Bank of the Philippines as well as the concurrent chairman of the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation (QUEDANCOR) places Lorenzo in a clear conflict-of-interest situation because one is a bank and the other is a debtor,” added the peasant leader.

The peasant group pointed out that this was illegal but the president was able to pull it off on July 19 this year by her Executive Order 333 which created the office of the PAJG with the rank and emoluments of a Cabinet secretary and which shall serve as ex-officio Chairman of the governing boards of the LBP and of the QUEDANCOR.
After which Gloria appointed Lorenzo as her representative to act as the chairman of the QUEDANCOR and as chairman of the LBP Board of Directors on August 15. Then on August 16, she signed the appointment papers of Lorenzo as the Presidential adviser for PAJG with its broad powers and functions.

 “With his propensity for overspending the funds of the Landbank and the QUEDANCOR are in danger of being depleted,” Ramos pointed out

“This is unheard of and reeks really reeks of political payback. It also clearly shows that Gloria is usurping power from the legislative branch of government because her executive orders contravenes existing laws and constitutes a presidential encroachment of power to amend laws,” said Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP.

Ala also pointed out that Arroyo’s EO 333 specifically states that the PAJG shall source its funding from the available funds of the QUEDANCOR and the LBP. “This is very fishy and all this just to reward her favorite rich kid “Citong Aksaya,” added Ala.

“We also like to emphasize that by law, the chair of the QUEDANCOR should be the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Cito is no longer the secretary of the DA and also that the chair of the Landbank should be the Secretary of the Department of Finance, Cito is also not the secretary of the finance department, or are Sec. Yap and Sec. Amatong just dummies?” asked Ala. # # # 
 

KMP - 5 October 2004