AN opposition lawmaker yesterday challenged Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad to show he is not vindictive and release the Priority Development Funds or pork barrel of critics of the Aquino administration.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay said Abad should ensure that all entitlements of members of the House of Representatives are released accordingly.

“They said they were not vindictive and will release all entitlements meant for the people, (but) that remains to be seen,” said Magsaysay in a text message.

Magsaysay said withholding their PDAF is tantamount to depriving their constituents of the needed funds to ensure the delivery of basic services.

Earlier, Magsaysay hit the purported continued discriminatory practice of Abad in withholding their pork barrel funds which is now affecting the enrollment of thousands of scholars and depriving indigents of medical assistance.

Magsaysay said she is very much worried about the future of her 1,100 scholars in the coming semester because of the unreleased PDAF.

“I hope they will not jeopardize the future of my scholars. I have 1,100 scholars who are now facing bleak future due to the continued non-release of funds to support their education,” said Magsaysay.

She said the seeming prejudice by the DBM in releasing the PDAF of lawmakers who are critical of the Aquino administration is also affecting the scholars of her colleagues and even the medical assistance for the indigents.

Aside from Magsaysay, other lawmakers from the minority who are yet to receive the first tranche of PDAF include Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Arroyo, Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, Iloilo Rep. Augusto “Buboy” Syjuco, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand “Martin” Romualdez, Mindoro Occidental Mindoro Rep. Ma. Amelita “Girlie” Villarosa and Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas.

The lawmakers have asked Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. to show no discrimination by being a true father to all lawmakers, regardless of their political affiliations, in the release of their pork barrel funds.

But a source said it is not Belmonte but Abad who has the say on the release of pork barrel.

“The Speaker endorsed all the requests for the release of funds, including from the opposition,” the source said adding the appeal for the release of pork should be addressed to the budget secretary.

Magsaysay disclosed last Wednesday that administration allies in Congress have been preparing the list of projects for the second tranche of PDAF worth another P35 million while some lawmakers in the opposition have not been given their allocations for the first tranche worth P35 million.