Belmonte wants NBI to finish ‘pork’ probe first but House minority thinks not

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. wants the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to first finish its inquiry into the alleged P10 billion pork barrel scandal before the House of Representatives would conduct its own investigation.

The minority bloc, however, thinks otherwise as it filed a resolution urging the House to investigate the scam which tagged members of both the Senate and the House as having given supposedly bogus nongovernment organizations portions of their “pork barrel” or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

In a text message to reporters, the House leader said that the NBI should first be allowed to conclude its investigation, together with the Commission on Audit (COA), which has a separate inquiry.

But a copy of House Resolution No. 160 filed by the minority bloc late Monday directed the committees on good government and public accountability and ethics and privileges to launch a joint investigation.

The Makabayan bloc, a member of the minority bloc, has sought to abolish the PDAF.

The Senate on Monday said it would also defer an inquiry.

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