‘Administration afraid of probe of Aquino’s pals’

The administration allies’ strong opposition to a congressional probe of President Benigno Aquino III’s friends in government only shows how scared they are of the opposition and of public opinion, according to Minority Leader Edcel Lagman.

Lagman said the “extreme alarm and belligerence” in opposing the minority’s call for an investigation of erring presidential cronies also exposed the “fragile excuses and patent culpabilities of special buddies.”

“Why should the President’s allies in Malacañang and in Congress be more popish than the pope when the subject officials have signified their willingness to be investigated?” he said.

Lagman and his allies in the House are targeting Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno for alleged bribery; Land and Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres for alleged illegal meddling; Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. for his reported P40-million mansion; Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima for the alleged filing of tax charges against political enemies; and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Chair Margarita Juico for alleged irregularities in her office, including its transfer from the Quezon Institute to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

Lagman described the defenses put up by the President’s allies as contrived and baseless.

He insisted that the proposed congressional inquiry will not be a “fishing expedition,” as presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda has claimed, because some of the “big fishes” have already been caught by independent investigations but set free by no less than the President.

He cited as an example the case of Torres whose dismissal was recommended by a justice department fact-finding panel for her alleged complicity and partiality in the failed Stradcom takeover.

“And yet the President ignored the recommendation and confirmed her eventual return after a brief self-imposed leave of absence,” said Lagman.

In the case of Puno, Lagman said the committee that reviewed the August 2010 bus hostage incident had recommended the filing of charges against Puno for “culpable ineptness” in his handling of the fatal rescue operation as the undersecretary in charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Again, the President absolved Puno of any liability in utter disregard of the committee findings, Lagman said.

Lagman said the President also cleared Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima of tax irregularities “despite clear incriminatory evidence,” and even rammed through Purisima’s confirmation in the Commission on Appointments.

“The self-serving explanation of presidential friends of any wrongdoing must not insulate them from the furnace of a thorough and impartial investigation,” he said.

Lagman said congressional investigations, which are principally in aid of legislation, must not be abdicated in order to favor presidential friends while being pursued selectively against political foes.

Prosecution and legislation are separate, although complementary, modes of action to guarantee good governance and an upright bureaucracy, Lagman said.

“Prosecution is a process against individual offenders whereas congressional investigations in aid of legislation are for the enactment of statutes to cover general application,” he said.