Adiong hits alleged corruption in BARMM; says village execs 'woke up with P500,000' in their bank accounts

Manila Bulletin

Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has raised concerns over the questionable use of funds from the Office of the Chief Minister (OCM) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) involving around P100 million. (Video courtesy of House of Representatives)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/1/30/adiong-hits-alleged-corruption-in-barmm  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Majority Leader. I seek refuge in God

00:05Almighty from the evils of this earth. In the name of God, the most gracious, the

00:11most merciful. All praise is due to Allah Almighty, the sovereign creator of the

00:16universe, the God of no equal. Peace and blessings be upon the last messenger of

00:21God, the Seal of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

00:28Join what is good, forbid what is wrong. Mr. Speaker, it is on this, on the

00:40premise of this Koranic verse that I address this honorable body

00:45today, a subject that gives me not even an iota of pleasure, rather it grieves

00:54the heart of a former member of the Bangsamoro Parliament such as myself.

01:01Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a matter of collective and personal privilege to

01:08address a grave and urgent matter that threatens the core principles of

01:14good governance, accountability, and the sacred trust placed in us by the people

01:20of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

01:50This is the Barangay Land Bank account. It is worth P500,000 to P2.5 million pesos.

02:00Gradually, the people were led by the Chief Minister of BARMM and ordered and

02:09forced, they were not led, the official barangay members withdrew a large part of

02:16this fund and left only P200,000. This is for special operations, Mr. Speaker.

02:27It was not explained what special operations this is. If it is true, these

02:36people are completely in charge of this and they place the trust of the public in the

02:44administration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regional Government.

02:49Many of these barangay officials refused to accept the fund. They say there is no

02:59clear directive for the use of this and the process for these funds is not clear.

03:08As accountable officers, they have a duty to take care of the safety of the country

03:17and the amount and sudden arrival of funds is a barrier to that duty.

03:25Mr. Speaker, the Local Government Support Fund or LGSF is appropriated under the

03:32Bangsamoro Autonomous Act No. 56 or the General Appropriations Act of the Bangsamoro

03:39which allocates P6,366,000,000 pesos for various initiatives aimed at improving the

03:50It is worth noting, Mr. Speaker, that the Bangsamoro Budget Circular No. 10, series

03:57of 2024, released on May 24, 2024, provides specific guidelines for the release and utilization

04:06of the said LGSF. This circular emphasizes the requirement for a special budget request

04:13from local chief executives before any funds are disbursed.

04:18This aligns closely with the Department of Budget and Management Local Budget Circular

04:24No. 155, series of 2024, which applies similar safeguards to ensure proper fund allocation.

04:33This portion of both circulars was clearly not followed according to civil society watchdogs.

04:41Mr. Speaker, the BARM version of the Budget Circular also pales in comparison to its

04:47national counterpart, especially when it comes to transparency, just and equitable distribution

04:55and reportorial requirements. Furthermore, the DBM Circular includes both general and

05:02specific guidelines, while the BARM Circular lacks specific guidelines for the release

05:09and utilization of LGSF. At its core, the reliance on archaic physical copies leads

05:16to delays and lack of clarity, while at the national level, all requests for LGSF fundings

05:24are already digitalized. While the BARM Circular only requires physical posting of the project

05:32progress reports, the DBM Circular requires that the same be made available through the

05:39LGU's social media accounts. Aside from the issues in these circulars, Mr. Speaker, it

05:45must be noted that the local officials have not been effectively capacitated to effectively

05:52absorb and utilize these funds. The recent events highlight the need to further strengthen

05:59the processes and mechanisms that govern fund utilization. We must ensure that all

06:06stakeholders are adequately informed and equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to implement

06:12programs effectively and transparently. This includes providing comprehensive training

06:19for local officials on budgetary protocols, clear dissemination of guidelines, and robust

06:26monitoring systems to track fund utilization. I must emphasize, Mr. Speaker, that our local

06:33officials have been left in the deep waters in these troubling events. Additionally, there

06:39have been observations from civil society groups and election watchdogs raising alarms

06:45that the disbursement of these funds have been arbitrary and partisan. To address these

06:52concerns, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative to establish mechanisms that guarantee the equitable

06:58and needs-based distribution of these resources. Transparency and accountability must remain

07:05at the forefront of our efforts to uphold the integrity of the Bangsamoro Regional Government

07:11and its institutions, not because elections are just around the corner. Furthermore, Mr.

07:18Speaker, the allocation of such funds without formal requests or detailed implementation

07:25plans violates key provisions of the General Appropriations Act, or GAA, and the Government

07:32Procurement Reform Act, which require strict adherence to budgeting and procurement processes.

07:39These actions also breach Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards

07:46for public officials and employees by failing to uphold transparency, accountability, and

07:53integrity. Mr. Speaker, the disbursement of these funds also contravenes the General Appropriations

08:01Act, which governs the lawful use of public resources. Under the GAA, all disbursements

08:09must adhere to detailed, approved programs and protocols. The absence of requests from

08:16barangays and the unauthorized directives violate these provisions. I say it again,

08:23Mr. Speaker, the absence of requests from barangays and the unauthorized directives

08:30violate these provisions. Furthermore, the Government Procurement Reform Act, or RA

08:399184, requires transparency and fairness in the expenditure of public funds. The lack

08:47of competitive procurement and the absence of clear implementation guidelines undermine

08:53the intent of this law. Mr. Speaker, these challenges present an opportunity for us to

09:00reaffirm our commitment to good governance and to ensure that public resources are used

09:06solely to benefit not only selective political allies, but to benefit the entirety of our

09:16communities. By enhancing our systems and processes, we can build a stronger foundation

09:23for inclusive development and sustainable progress in the region, which is the core

09:29principle that guides the moral governance, Mr. Speaker, which is the current political

09:37principle of the current BARM administration. So, Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues,

09:49public servants and the leadership of the BARM, local government officials and all stakeholders

09:56to work collaboratively in addressing these issues. Together, let us institute reforms

10:02that will safeguard public funds, strengthen accountability and restore the confidence

10:08of our people in the government's ability to serve their needs effectively, fairly and

10:16justly. Let us also engage civil society and community leaders in fostering transparency

10:24and inclusivity in our governance practices. The people of my region, the people of the

10:30Bangsamoro, deserve no less than our unwavering dedication to their welfare. By working together,

10:38Mr. Speaker, I believe we can overcome these challenges and continue to build a region

10:43that embodies the values of justice, equality and good governance, a Bangsamoro that fulfills

10:50the aspirations of its people and the vision of our forefathers. Mr. Speaker, I call upon

10:56the attention of this House to direct the appropriate committee to look into these allegations,

11:01Mr. Speaker, because it breaks the very core of the foundation of the BARM administration,

11:07which is anchored on good governance and inclusivity.

11:11Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

11:15Thank you very much, Congressman Adiong, for that privileged speech.

11:26Thank you very much.

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