Santiago: ‘Bribery scam’ just a coverup by senators linked to pork barrel scam

Senator Miriam Defensor- Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said Monday that the “bribery scam” was being used by those implicated in the billion peso pork barrel scam as a coverup.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad previously disclosed the list of lawmakers that got P50 million additional funding after the impeachment trial of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, one of those who had reportedly given the most amount of money from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to Napoles’ bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) , exposed the “bribe” to senators for voting to convict Corona in a privileged speech last week.

Estrada later clarified that it was not a bribe, but some form of an ‘incentive’.

Santiago, along with Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., did not receive the additional funding from what Abad called Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Former senator Joker Arroyo also denied he received any money.

The three senators had voted to acquit Corona.

Santiago said in a statement that “both scams are equally repulsive.  But the alleged bribery scam is intended by the political opposition to cover up the Napoles pork scam.”

“At the heart of both scams is then Senate minority leader Juan Ponce Enrile. He is charged with plunder because he gave phoney Napoles NGOs some P400 million. Now he is trying to hide behind the expose of the alleged bribery scam,” Santiago said.

Enrile, Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senator Francis Escudero had gotten the highest amount from the so-called DAP after the impeachment trial.

Santiago said she would urge the Supreme Court to look into the constitutionality of the DAP by the budget department.

“I would like to know in particular if it is legal for the budget department to discriminate among senators. While all other senators received an average of P50 million, reportedly three senators got P100 million each.  They are Enrile, Drilon, and Escudero,” Santiago said.

“In releasing funds, the executive branch cannot play favorites when carrying out constitutional commands such as social justice, social services, and equal work opportunities.  The DAP releases, flawed as they were from the very beginning, played favorites among senators.  That was clearly unconstitutional,” she said.

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