Pork scam pits congressman vs congressman

A congressman is in hot water over an allegation that 98 legislators were involved in a supposed pork barrel scam.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga on Tuesday filed a resolution asking the House committee on ethics and privileges to investigate his colleague, Abakada Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz, who floated the allegation in a press conference last week.

In Resolution No. 169, Barzaga noted that the allegation was based only on a “one-page photocopied document” purportedly coming from De la Cruz’s source at the Commission on Audit (COA). The document was labeled as “draft.”

Barzaga said the allegation “added to the already clouded public perception of the legislature and undoubtedly constituted an attack on the integrity of the members of the House of Representatives and the institution itself.”

He said House members should be “circumspect in giving out statements which may affect” his colleagues.

Told about the resolution, De la Cruz said he would face the investigation, insisting that the allegation did not come from him but from the COA.

“I will definitely attend the (ethics committee) hearing. I’m prepared because I did not do anything wrong,” he told the Inquirer. “What I was saying was that we should all work together and look at this (COA allegation).”

In a separate interview, Barzaga said his resolution was meant, not only to clarify De la Cruz’s allegation, but also to allow other members of the House to clear their names.

“Nothing personal (with De la Cruz). Trabaho lang (It’s just work),” he said.