TRO on pork barrel stays — SC

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The temporary restraining order on the remaining pork barrel of senators and congress under the 2013 budget stays.

During Tuesday’s deliberation, the high court opted to include the issue on the lifting of the restraining order in the oral argument on October 8.

Last month, the high court prevented the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the National Treasurer, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, the Senate and the House not only from using the remaining pork barrel but also the release of the Malampaya funds except only for purposes of financing energy resource development programs.

The high court issued the restraining order in the wake of the discovery of the P10 billion diversion of the PDAF money to bogus nongovernment organizations as allegedly orchestrated by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.